


Blue Spruce

by ficmuse



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Tree, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Neighbors, Road Trips, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 03:27:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12998856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficmuse/pseuds/ficmuse
Summary: A Very Bughead Christmas TaleAs Christmas approaches, Betty realizes that her quest for perfection just might ruin her chances of finding her happily ever after.





	1. Tell Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Raptorlily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raptorlily/gifts).



_November 1_

_9:00 am_

Betty Cooper knew that the pursuit of perfection was a trap. Nothing in life would ever be truly perfect. You did your best and that had to be good enough. Nevertheless, she’d stayed up half the night thinking about her latest column, obsessively pondering whether it was her best possible work. She felt, in the pit of her stomach, that it was still missing something.

Betty sighed as she got out of bed and her feet hit the cold wooden floor. It was a chilly morning in Brooklyn. The steam radiator in the corner hissed, filling the room with welcome heat. After a nice warm shower, she dressed in her favorite cranberry wool dress, grabbed her pink laptop bag and headed out of her apartment.

Seconds later, she knocked on the door across the hall, 4L. Her friend and neighbor, Jughead Jones, didn’t answer, so he was either fast asleep or he hadn’t made it home last night. She walked down to Leo’s Coffee Shop and took her usual place at the table in the front window.

Leo brought over her breakfast order: an almond croissant and a decaf latte. “Seen Jughead yet today?” she asked.

He shook his head. “He’d be sitting right across from you if he was here.”

Unable to stop picking at her work, she did a final polish on her columns for the _Tribune_. Finally, she was satisfied that they were perfect. Content at last, she opened up another document and set to work writing some quizzes for her freelance gig with Mediabuzz.

As Betty wrote, she watched the people walking past the window. Living in the city was so inspiring to her. Every person had a story; she wanted to hear them all. The constant stream of people from all walks of life, all countries, and all faiths was a reminder that she was here, where she’d always dreamed of being, living in the city on her own.

She worked until one in the afternoon, stopping for a short break to eat a sandwich wrap. Every time the bell rang at the door she looked up, but Jughead never showed. She read through her email and decided she’d done enough for a morning’s work. After she waved goodbye to Leo, she walked up the street and stopped at Shake Shack to grab a burger and a Coke to go.

Back at her apartment building, she knocked on the door of 4L. Jughead opened the door, looking grouchy. The deep circles under his eyes showed he hadn’t slept well the night before either.

“Am I interrupting your writing?” Betty asked.

“If you call staring at the same page in Final Draft for hours ‘writing,’ sure.” He noticed the paper bag in her hands. “Is that food for me?”

Betty handed him the bag and drink. “It’s a bribe, Jug. I have a hamburger with extra pickles and a side of fries for you. I need to bounce something off of your juicy delicious brain.”

“My brain is all yours, Cooper.” Jughead opened the door and let her inside. His studio apartment was sad and basic: a cinder block bookshelf crammed full of paperbacks took up the longest wall. His futon, both couch and bed, was currently still in bed mode, with a nest of tangled blankets on top of it. They sat down at his desk and dining table: two sawhorses with an old door on top of it.

“You want coffee?”

“Sure.”

Jughead poured her a cup from his French press. “Out of milk.”

“Just sugar is fine.”

He handed her a black ceramic mug of coffee as Betty set up her laptop.

“So, what do you need me to look at?” Jughead unwrapped the burger and took swift, huge bites. He always ate like someone was going to come along and grab the food out of his hands.

“Some columns. I was approached by the managing editor of the _Tribune_ and asked to apply for a job as a daily columnist.”

“Seriously? That’s awesome.”

Betty sighed. “No, it’s stressing me out. This is totally outside my comfort zone. You know I don’t like that at all.”

Jughead took a sip of his Coke. “Tell me what’s making you twitchy.”

“The guy who writes Advice with Alexandra, the advice column, is retiring. They have canned columns through March of next year, but they want a new Alexandra starting right after New Year’s.”

“If you get the job, will you stop writing your online quizzes? No more finding out what Hogwarts house you should be in based on your eye color or what your ideal sexual position is based on your favorite milkshake?” Jughead teased.

“If I’m lucky enough to get the job, I will keep writing the quizzes as a side hustle for extra cash. More money is always good.” She loaded up the document on her laptop and turned the screen towards Jughead. “The editor sent me six sets of reader questions and I had to give advice for each one.”

Jughead pulled Betty’s laptop in front of him and read quickly, his brow furrowed. Betty watched his face as she chewed on her thumbnail.

“I like them. I mean, I don’t read advice columns, but this sounds like great advice. What I really like best though is the Betty-ness of it. Your voice comes through, loud and clear. This is exactly how you sound when you’re helping me hash out a problem.”

“So you think they sound good?” she asked him.

“I think they’re great.” He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Did you show these columns to anyone else?”

Betty nodded. “Yes, I showed my mom, who actually reads Advice with Alexandra, and she liked them. I also showed them to a couple of my Mediabuzz colleagues and they liked them too. But I didn’t want to send them to the editor without your take on it. I trust you more than anyone else.”

He gave a small bow. “I’m honored.”

“I’m serious,” said Betty. “You’ve always been such a great sounding board for my work.”

“You are for me, too.” Jughead opened his laptop. “Speaking of which, I’m having the hardest time with the dialogue in my script. I just can’t get the right tone for this scene.” He tapped the screen with one finger.

Betty leaned forward to read it and immediately pinpointed what was wrong. “I think I see the problem. In the last scene in the car, he was really empathetic and open. In this, he’s much more closed off...”

Jughead nodded, listening intently, as Betty helped him unravel the tangle in his screenplay.


	2. Something Real and True

_November 2_

_7:34 PM_

The chicken picatta smelled delicious. Betty smiled as she placed the chicken on a platter of perfectly cooked spaghetti. She admired the table, beautifully set with her best tablecloth and a vase of white tulips. The menu was Ryan’s favorite: chicken picatta; garlic knots; broccolini with red pepper flakes; and a bottle of his favorite white wine, chilled to just the right temperature.

She looked around her apartment. The untidy pile of magazines on the coffee table had been cleared away. She’d fluffed the pillows on the couch and straightened the knickknacks on her fireplace mantel. Her bedroom and bathroom had been tidied up, too. The apartment looked great.

The phone rang. It was Ryan. Her heart sank. “Please tell me you’re not canceling on me.”

“Babe, you know that I have no control over the situation. Being a lawyer isn’t all fancy dinners and nice suits. My job’s not like yours; I can’t just work when I want to.”

Betty was immediately annoyed. “I don’t just work-”

“I’ll call you tomorrow. We’ll talk about it then. Love ya.” He hung up.

Betty stifled the impulse to throw the phone across the room. She was so tired of this. She took a deep breath. Ryan had an important job. His crazy schedule wasn’t his fault. She needed to be encouraging; to be supportive. To be a good girlfriend.

Betty took off her apron and grabbed her keys. Across the hall, she knocked on the door to 4L. After a brief pause, the door swung open and Jughead answered it. He had dark circles under his eyes and his thick, shaggy hair was sticking up all around his head. “Hey.”

“Did I wake you up?”

“Yeah. I worked all last night until noon today on my screenplay and then crashed.” Jughead yawned. “Thanks to you, I finally got past that crappy block I was having. What time is it?”

“It’s about 7:30. I didn’t mean to wake you up. Sorry.” She turned to leave.

“No, it’s good. Don’t go.” He looked at her green silk dress and tall heels. “Did Bryan stand you up again?”

“Ryan,” she said, stressing the name, “had to work late. Would you like to watch reality TV and eat chicken picatta with me, Jug?”

“Absolutely.” He reached into his door, grabbed his keys, and followed her to her apartment.

“Help yourself. I’m going to go change.” In her bedroom she hung up her dress, pulled on a faded Princeton sweatshirt and her most comfy yoga pants, and pulled her hair into a ponytail. With a quick swipe of a makeup wipe, she was ready for a night in with her friend.

Back in the kitchen, she fixed herself a plate. Jughead was already at his regular spot on the couch, shoveling spaghetti into his face. She set her plate down on the coffee table.

“Do you want a drink?”

He nodded, so she grabbed him a can of Coke and poured herself a glass of white wine. She sat down next to him on the sofa and picked up the remote.

“Do you want to watch _Perfect Match_?” she asked, already sure of what his answer would be. It was always his answer.

“Of course. Season six, episode three is where we left off.” This stupid dating show was Betty’s guilty pleasure. Jughead must like it too; they’d watched three seasons of it together over the last year or so.

She loaded up the episode on her television. As usual, they yelled at the television as they watched.

“These people are never going to win a million dollars,” groused Jughead. “They’re all too stupid.”

Betty sipped her wine. “Of course they are dumb. They voluntarily agreed to go on a reality dating show on a cable channel.”

“I’d go,” said Jughead. “A chance to win a million dollars and spend six weeks in a tropical paradise in a mansion? I’d go.”

Betty looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. “No, you wouldn’t.”

“Hey, I want to find my soul mate as much as anyone else does,” replied Jughead. “I just don’t have the time. Hanging drywall all day and writing all night leaves me burning the candle at both ends, you know?”

“You find time to make random hookups on Tinder. You put in zero effort other than just getting laid.”

“If I met the right girl, I’d put in more effort.” Jughead looked over at her seriously. “There’s nothing wrong with hooking up. I’m poor, not dead.”

“You’re not poor. As soon as you sell that screenplay, you’ll have plenty of cash.”

“I sold the first one and that cash didn’t last me more than a few months.”

“I have faith in you, Jug. It’s just a matter of time until all your dreams come true.”

“I don’t know about that. I’ve got some pretty wild dreams.” Jughead looked at Betty and took a deep breath. “Betty, why do you stay with Ryan?”

She froze mid-bite. “What?”

“Ryan, as far as I can tell, is a terrible boyfriend. He stands you up all the time.”

“He’s not a terrible boyfriend,” said Betty defensively. “He is just very busy with his job.”

“He had the same job when you moved to New York,” Jughead pointed out. “He had time for you eighteen months ago when you moved in and we first met.”

“It’s just a rough patch,” Betty explained. “Every relationship has rough patches now and again.” She took a sip of her wine.

“Betty, you deserve better,” Jughead said seriously.

“We’ve been together since freshman year of college.” Ryan had been her only real relationship, ever. Everything she knew about being someone’s girlfriend was tied to Ryan.

“So what?” said Jughead. “Just because you’ve been together for a long time, doesn’t mean that he makes you happy.”

“You’re only seeing the bad, not the good.” Betty was flustered, feeling attacked by someone who had always been unconditionally supportive. “My parents approve of him. Ryan has an Ivy League education; he comes from a well-connected family; he’s already an associate partner at his firm. We look great in photos together. We go on lovely dates, travel to interesting places.”

“Okay. But are you really happy now, with your life?” His eyes were dark and probing. It wasn’t a casual question. Not like his questions usually were. There was something different about him tonight.

“No,” Betty admitted, softly. “I spend a lot of time and energy on seeming to be happy, but I’m not.”

“Why do you pretend to be if you’re not?”

“That’s the Cooper way,” answered Betty. “Put on your brightest lipstick and your best smile. Square your shoulders and raise your chin high. Never let them see you weak. Never let them see you hurt. Never let them know that deep down inside, you’re a mess.”

Jughead tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her skin tingled at his touch. “You are beautiful and kind and caring. You’re not a mess.”

“I’m a total mess. I’m just great at hiding it.”

“Do you show anyone those parts of yourself, those messy parts that you hide behind a smile?”

Betty shook her head. “Of course not.”

“Not even Ryan?” Jughead raised his eyebrows.

“Especially not him.” She smiled sadly.

“Don’t you deserve someone that you can be yourself with? Don’t you want that?”

“Honestly, no. I think that would be way too scary.” Betty took a sip of wine. “I mean, just imagine, Juggie. Think of all the parts of yourself that you don’t like, all your flaws, your weaknesses. The things you hate about yourself. Showing someone else all of that is the scariest thing I can think of.”

“It’s not scary when it is the right person,” Jughead answered firmly. “When you truly love someone, you want to know all of them and you want them to know you. Everything, inside and out, that makes them who they are, both good and bad. Love is wanting something real and true.”

Betty turned towards him. “Have you ever felt that way about anyone?”

“Once,” he replied.

“How did that turn out for you?” she asked.

His face went blank. “Broken heart,” he said carefully.

“Better luck next time.” Betty patted his arm gently before leaning back against her corner of the couch.

He smiled at her fondly and they watched the episode, slurping spaghetti.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr at ficmuse for deleted scenes and miscellaneous Bughead related nonsense.


	3. A Wonderful Day

_November 22_

_8:30 PM_

It was a long walk from the subway stop to Betty’s apartment. Her tall heels hurt and she couldn’t wait to take them off. Betty had cut tonight’s date short, claiming a headache, and taken the subway home. She’d had time to sit and think while she was on the long ride from uptown Manhattan to her stop in Brooklyn. She and Ryan were worlds apart, in so many ways.

Going to cocktail parties with Ryan was a part of their relationship she’d never warmed up to. Making small talk with all his colleagues was difficult for her. Ryan expected her to show up looking sophisticated and sexy. She had to feign interest in what his colleagues were saying, even though the talk was peppered with references to their ongoing litigation that she didn’t know, or care, about. The whole thing was tedious.

By the time she reached the apartment, the headache was real. Betty kicked off her high heels with a sigh. She took a couple of Tylenol for her tension headache and poured herself a glass of chardonnay. Her stomach growled. There had been nothing but hors d’oeuvres at the party and she had barely eaten any.

Betty sent a text to Jughead to find out if he was around and interested in splitting a pizza. He replied affirmatively and was knocking on her door just as she had slipped into her flannel footie pajamas.

“So much for your date night uptown,” said Jughead. “It’s not even nine and you’re in your jammies. What happened?”

“If I had to stay in a room full of stuffy lawyers for another minute I was literally going to start screaming, so I left.”

“Good call.” Jughead grabbed a cab of Coke from the fridge and cracked it open. “So are you in the mood for Angelo’s?”

“Definitely. Extra pepperoni.”

“As you wish.” Jughead pulled out his cell phone and called in the order.

An hour later, Betty and Jughead were halfway through the pizza when Betty blurted out what had been on her mind all day. “I don’t want to go home with Ryan for Thanksgiving tomorrow.”

Jughead picked up the remote and paused the show they were watching. “Then don’t go.”

Betty shook her head. “I have to. I agreed to meet his family tomorrow; he is meeting mine on Christmas Day. It was all arranged months ago.”

“So cancel.”

“I can’t.” Betty weighed her words. How could she explain that she’d put this meeting off as long as possible? That the idea of marching towards a seemingly permanent relationship with Ryan was terrifying? How could she admit that for months, she had enjoyed her boyfriend’s company less and less? “It’s time to meet the parents.”

Jughead raised his eyebrows. “So, you don’t really want to meet Ryan’s parents, but you feel trapped by the expectations of society?” he asked in a mocking tone.

Betty rolled her eyes at him. “You don’t get it.”

“Spell it out for me.”

“At a certain point in a relationship, you need to break up or move on to the next step.”

“The next step?”

“Right.”

Jughead bit his lip. “The next step? Like moving in together?”

“Or getting engaged.” Ryan had been hinting about it. He knew that Betty’s mother would have a stroke if they moved in together. For Betty, the next step would have to be an engagement. Every time Ryan brought up the subject of their future, her stomach churned.

“Wait, are you actually considering marrying this guy?” Jughead looked stunned.

“I don’t know, Jug,” she admitted. “If I was sure about him, about our future together, I would be excited about tomorrow, right? I would be thrilled to meet his family, see where he grew up. But I’m not.”

“Then don’t go.” Jughead put his hand on her knee. “Betts, if you could spend Thanksgiving tomorrow however you wanted, what would you do?”

“I would go home to Riverdale and eat my body weight in my mother’s chestnut stuffing and pumpkin pie and fall asleep on the couch after dinner watching _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ ,” Betty replied.

“Then take the train upstate and go home,” Jughead suggested, his voice soft.

“I can’t. My parents are in Ann Arbor. They’re having Thanksgiving with Polly and her boyfriend.”

“Oh.” Jughead tilted his head. “How about this? Spend the day with me here in the city. We’ll go watch the parade and freeze our asses off. Then you can come with me to my buddy Seth’s place. Potluck; I bought a pumpkin cheesecake from that fancy bakery down the street. Then we can come back here and watch Charlie Brown and Snoopy.”

Betty smiled. “That sounds like a perfect day.”

“I think so too. Betty, I promise you would have a wonderful day here with me,” Jughead said earnestly.

“I would love to.” Betty took another bite of pizza. “I just can’t, Juggie. Ryan would be so disappointed.”

“Right, because it is is all about Ryan. It’s always about what someone else wants, not what you want. Once again, as always, you are bending over backward to cater to the feelings of a guy who lets you down and disappoints you all the time.” Jughead put down his plate and stood up. “You know, it’s late. I’m going to head home."

“Seriously?” Betty looked at her watch. It wasn’t even ten at night yet.

He gave her a little wave with his hand. “Night.”

_November 23_

_6:30 AM_

Betty woke up the next morning in blinding pain. A fierce migraine; she hadn’t had one in months.

She stumbled to her bathroom and threw up. It felt like someone had stuck a knife in her left eye socket. Her whole body hurt. She opened up her medicine cabinet, looking for the prescription bottle for her Imitrex. Finally she found it, took a pill and lay on her bed waiting for the agony to stop.

Some time later, there was a knocking on her front door. Betty shuffled out to answer it. It was Ryan, wearing a navy blue suit with a red tie, his wool coat over his shoulder. He looked great.

He looked at her and frowned. “Betty, what the hell? We need to leave now if we’re going to get to Dobbs Ferry on time.”

“I woke up with a migraine,” said Betty.

“Well, take your pill, pull yourself together and let’s go.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can.”

Ryan raised his voice. “Today is really important to me and to my family. It’s just a headache. Go put on a nice dress, fix your face and let’s get going.”

What an asshole. Betty was stunned by the realization that at this moment, she didn’t like Ryan at all.

The door across the hall swung open. Jughead, in a ripped t-shirt and plaid pajama pants, with massive bedhead. “Happy Thanksgiving, Bryan.”

“It’s Ryan,” he hissed.

“Sorry, Bryan. So, why are you waking up the entire floor? Not to mention where do you get off screaming at Betty?” Jughead’s voice was icy and hard.

“You know what?” Ryan slapped the doorframe with his hand. “Fuck it. If you can’t be bothered to make an effort, Betty, I don’t need you.”

He swung on his heel and stalked off down the hall.

Jughead crossed the hall and put his arm around Betty. “You okay? What’s wrong, another migraine?” He was so kind and sweet and comforting. He was everything Ryan wasn’t.

Betty started to cry. “My head hurts so bad and I feel like I’m going to barf again.”

He rubbed her back and led her into her apartment. “Can I get you anything? Soup? Tea?”

“No,” she sniffled. “I just want to go lie down.”

“You want me to stay and keep you company?” He looked at her searchingly. “I don’t want to leave you alone when you’re feeling bad.”

“You have plans,” she protested.

“Don’t worry about that.” Jughead picked her up in one fell swoop and carried her over to her couch. He sat down with her on his lap and tucked the fluffy throw blanket around her.

“I hate your boyfriend,” Jughead stated flatly. “He sucks. I’d like a piano to fall on him.”

“He totally sucks,” Betty agreed. She lay against his chest with her eyes closed. The pounding in her head was intense.

“The neurologist told you to reduce stress in your life,” said Jughead. “I have a few suggestions.”

“I installed a meditation app on my phone and signed up for yoga classes,” Betty murmured. Jughead’s shirt smelled like fabric softener. His chest was warm and firm. His lap was very comfortable.

She felt his finger gently brush her temple. “How’s your pain level?”

“The medicine is kicking in. It’s not as bad as when I first woke up. Down to sixty percent, maybe.”

He clucked his tongue. “I hate seeing you in pain, Betts. I read about something that might help. Will you let me try?”

“Okay.”

Jughead shifted her on his lap and rubbed very firmly at the base of her neck with his thumbs. She gasped.

He immediately stopped. “No?”

“Yes.” It felt great. “Please keep going.”

He firmly kneaded the back of her neck with his thumbs. The pressure in her head lessened and she breathed more easily through the pain.

“That really is helping.”

“I’m glad.”

“You have really strong thumbs.”

“Well, I work out every day,” Jughead explained. “I bought a set of tiny little dumbbells, just for my thumbs.”

She laughed as he kept massaging the base of her neck with those strong, agile thumbs. He moved down to rub along the vertebrae of her upper back. By the time he stopped, the pain had dulled to a manageable level.

“Thank you. You’re such a good friend to me.” She snuggled against his chest, much more comfortable now and completely exhausted.

“I’d do anything to help make you feel better. You know that.” He kissed her forehead. “Do you want to watch the parade on TV?”

“Sure.” She laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Her eyes closed.

“Here comes Clifford the Big Red Dog. “ Jughead put his hand on her shoulder, holding her close.

While Jughead narrated the Thanksgiving parade in her ear, she dozed off.


	4. How Much More

_November 23_

_3:00 PM_

When Betty woke up, she was still cradled in Jughead’s arms. He was asleep, his mouth slightly open. His eyelashes were dark against his cheek. He looked younger, sweeter than she had ever seen him before.

She tried to sit up and his arms tightened around her. “Betty,” he said softly.

She tapped him on the shoulder. “Juggie."

“Mmm.” He smiled in his sleep.

“Jug.” She tapped him again.

Slowly he opened his eyes. “Hey baby,” he said drowsily.

Sleepy Jughead was adorable. He was usually in such a grumpy mood in the morning. He was monosyllabic and frowning until he drank a few cups of black coffee.

“Hi Jug.”

He yawned and seemed to wake up a bit. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine now.” She felt great, actually. “My migraine seems to be gone.”

“Good. That’s great.” He checked his watch. “It’s three o’clock now.” He smiled at her. “Are you feeling well enough to go with me to my Thanksgiving potluck? It starts at four, so we’re right on time.”

“Are you sure your friends wouldn’t mind me coming?”

“It’s a potluck,” said Jughead. “If you have food, you’re more than welcome. I have the pumpkin cheesecake, so we’re covered on that front.”

“I made a cranberry walnut tart to bring to Ryan’s parents house. I can bring that.” She sighed. “I can’t believe that I missed the dinner. I also can’t believe that he was such a dick to me.”

“I was ready to punch his lights out. No one should talk to you like that, Betty.” His hands curled around her protectively.

“He’s never talked to me like that before. It’s been...bad lately,” Betty admitted. “The guy I fell in love with was a totally different person.”

“How much more bullshit are you willing to put up with before you end it with him?” Jughead asked her, his voice soft.

“That’s a good question, Jug.” She’d never put up with that before and she wasn’t really interested in doing it now. But it was all so complicated.

She looked at him for a long moment. His brow was furrowed and he pulled her more closely to his chest.

“You don’t have to settle for less. You can have everything you deserve.” Her hair had fallen in her face while she was sleeping. He gently brushed it away. His touch made her feel warm inside.

“I guess I just have a lot to think about.” She patted his shoulder and climbed out of his lap. “Just give me half an hour to get dressed and I’ll be ready to go.”

 

_November 23_

_4:15 PM_

It was a short walk through Brooklyn Heights to his friend’s place. They walked down Pineapple Street, turned on Hicks and went up a few blocks to the brownstone on Cranberry Street. The large house had been divided into separate apartments. Jug’s friend appeared to have the entire ground floor of the building. The apartment was big and filled with mid-century modern furniture. Large black and white photos printed on canvas were hung everywhere.

A long table had been set up in the living room and Jughead set down his cake and Betty’s tart. Betty was introduced to a lively group of gregarious people. The host, Seth, was a skinny blond guy wearing a buffalo plaid shirt and a pair of horn rimmed glasses.

“So you’re the infamous Betty Cooper!” He shook her hand vigorously. “Great to meet you. I wondered if you were a real person or a figment of Jughead’s fevered imagination.”

“I’m real.” She laughed.

He offered her a bottle of hard cider, which she accepted. It was crisp and delicious, perfect for fall. He turned to Jug. “None for you, I know. You can grab a Coke from the fridge.”

“I’ll be right back.” Jughead patted her shoulder and wandered through the crowd of people into the kitchen.

“So how do you know Jug?” Betty asked.

“We grew up together in Orange County,” said Seth. “Just two surfer kids adrift in Brooklyn.”

“Jughead was a surfer?” Betty couldn’t imagine it.

“We lived on the ocean,” Seth explained. “Everyone surfed.” He took a sip of his beer. “May I just say that while I was passable...Jughead totally sucked!”

Betty laughed. “Please tell me you have photographic evidence of surfer Jughead!”

“Photographic evidence of what now?” Jughead rested his hand on Betty’s shoulder. “What have you done, Seth?”

“Seth is going to show me surfing pictures of you!” Betty was gleeful at the prospect.

Jughead groaned. “Please, dude. Don’t do it, Seth. I will literally murder you.”

“Fine. I’ll save it for next time.” He grinned at Jughead and slapped his shoulder. “Come sit down. We’re ready to serve the food.”

Betty had a wonderful evening. She enjoyed all of Jughead’s friends, their easy camaraderie. They were all working interesting jobs in the city, in marketing or fashion or the arts; some were still in grad school. The meal was excellent; she ate stuffing that was even better than her mother’s. After dessert, there was a very competitive game of charades that left Betty laughing so hard she cried.

Jughead stayed by her side all night. He always had one hand on her; his fingers rested on her shoulder or back. It was fun to see him laugh and joke around with his friends; he tended to be an intense, serious guy and this was a whole other side of him that she enjoyed seeing.

Late that night, they walked home. It was a crisp, beautiful night and the walk was lovely. Back at their building, he kissed her on the cheek at her door. “I had a great night.” He smiled at her, his eyes sparkling.

“Me too.”

She lay awake that night for a long, long time, thinking about Jughead Jones in a way she’d never thought of him before.

 

_November 24_

_9:00 AM_

Betty was jarred out of a sound sleep by the ringing of her phone. She leaned over, fumbling on her nightstand until she grabbed it. It was her mother.

“Betty?” Her mother’s voice was shrill and high pitched. That was never a good sign. “Thank God! Where have you been?”

Betty sat up and yawned. “I’m in bed, at home, asleep. What are you talking about?”

“I tried to call you at least seventeen times last night.” Alice’s voice rose ever higher. “You didn’t answer me once! I was ready to call the police!”

“I’m sorry,” said Betty.

“I want to hear how it went yesterday,” said Alice. “How was Thanksgiving? Did you like Ryan’s parents? What was their house like? What did they serve? Do they have servants? I bet they have servants.”

Betty shuffled into the kitchen to make coffee. “Mom, you need to relax. Let me wake up. I haven’t even had my coffee yet.”

“I have been tossing and turning all night waiting to hear the details,” Alice said excitedly. "Please tell me that you finally met his parents. If you had another work crisis or a broken pipe or an upset stomach or some other cockamamie excuse and canceled, I am going to disown you."

“Just give me a minute, Mom.” She needed to find a way to soften the blow. Not only had she not made it to Ryan’s after all, she had decided to break up with him. “Tell me about Thanksgiving with Polly.”

“Oh God,” Alice’s voice reached a new crescendo of drama. “I can’t even believe it! I am still reeling.”

“What happened?” asked Betty.

“Your sister,” Alice said crisply, “is living in sin! My daughter! My own flesh and blood.”

“Mom, it is the twenty-first century. Most couples live together before they get married. Look it up.” Any second now her mom was going to start ranting about how her grandfather had been a pastor.

“Not my girls! Do you know what that makes us look like? Your great-grandfather was the pastor at First Presbyterian for thirty-five years!” And there it was. Betty banged on the side of the coffee maker. Brew faster, damn it. “My grandfather is spinning in his grave right now.”

“Mom, you are being overly dramatic. It’s Polly’s life. She’s an adult.”

“I told her flat out that I don’t approve. My daughter, living in sin! No engagement planned! No wedding!” Alice’s voice had reached a crescendo. “Can you believe the nerve?"

“Let’s try to dial it back a bit, Mom. You’ve met Kyle and you like him. Polly is very happy with him. That’s what is important.”

“That is not what is important!” Alice snapped. “What am I supposed to tell my friends, my family?”

“Maybe you don’t need to say anything, Mom.” Betty’s coffee brewed and she poured a mug and added lots of milk and sugar. “Maybe you can, you know, not gossip about Polly to the entire town?”

“You have a smart mouth, Elizabeth Anne,” her mother barked. “Anyway, Daddy and I cut the trip short. We are in Detroit at the airport right now waiting to fly home.”

“Mom!” Betty was astonished. “You haven’t seen Polly in months and you just left? I can’t believe you did that. She must be so upset.” Betty checked her phone. Sure enough, there were three missed calls from Polly and a voice mail.

“She needs to understand how unacceptable this is,” said Alice. “I told her that I do not want to speak with her until she has resolved this inappropriate situation.”

Her mother was nuts. Betty sighed. “Mom.”

“After this disappointment with Polly, I’m so glad that things are going so well with Ryan.” Alice sighed. “I will be so happy to have him join our family, honey. He will be the most perfect son-in-law I could ever have imagined.”

“Mom, I’m definitely not ready to make that kind of commitment,” Betty said firmly. “In fact, things between us have not been going well at all lately.”

“Whoops, I have to go. They’re boarding our flight. I’ll call you when we land. Love you.” Her mother hung up.

This was just out of control. Betty sat on her couch, sipping her coffee. Her mother was nuts. Poor Polly.

She called her sister. “So, I heard your visit with Mom didn’t go so well?”

Polly laughed. “Not so much. Our mom is completely bonkers, Betts. You would not believe the drama that she pulled yesterday.”

“Oh, I can believe it.”

“Well, she can just shove it. I’m in love and I’m happy and I don’t care what she thinks.”

“I can’t believe that you stood up to her,” said Betty. “Weren’t you scared that you’d disappoint her?”

“My relationship with Kyle is more important to me than my relationship with Mom. No contest.”

Betty was shocked. “Polly!”

“The man I love should come first. If I don’t make that clear now and prioritize it, then I’m going to spend my whole life with Mom pushing me around. And you know what? I don’t want the kind of life Mom wants for me. My values are totally different from hers.”

Betty chatted with her sister for a long time. Later, while she was in the shower, she thought about what Polly had said. Her sister was genuinely happy, despite Mom and Dad not speaking with her. She was so brave.

Betty had just finished getting dressed and was checking her email when there was a knock on her door.

It was Jughead. “Good morning, Betty.”

“It’s really not.” Betty sighed. “So much drama.”

He raised his eyebrows. “What happened?”

“My mom is crazy.” She noticed he was dressed in a plaid button down shirt and a pair of dark pants. He’d combed his hair back and he looked great. “You look like you’re going somewhere, Juggie.”

He nodded. “I wanted to talk to you about that. Can I come in?”

She let him in and poured him a cup of coffee. They sat down together at her kitchen table.

“So, Betty.” He cleared his throat. “I really enjoyed spending Thanksgiving with you yesterday.”

“I did too. Even with the migraine, it was so much fun. Your friends are really wonderful, Jug.”

He smiled. “Some of my college friends are still in town. They really enjoyed meeting you yesterday. A bunch of us are having brunch at eleven over on Henry Street. Would you like to come with me?”

“I’d love to,” Betty replied. “I really liked hanging out with them yesterday. That sounds like fun.”

“That’s great.”

She got up and grabbed her purse and jacket, but when she opened the door, Ryan was standing in the hall. He had a massive bouquet of pink roses in his arms. “Hi, sweetheart.” He handed her the flowers. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole yesterday.”

She was flabbergasted. “Ryan.”

He took her hand. “I missed you so much, babe. I’m sorry I was such a jerk yesterday. I didn’t mean it.”

Jughead brushed past her. “Catch you later, Cooper.”

Her heart hurt as she watched him go. He stomped down the hall, his hands shoved down in his pockets.

“You look so beautiful today, babe.” Ryan looked at her appreciatively. “Yesterday was a mistake. I acted like a dick. I was just so disappointed that you wouldn’t come with me. Every time you’re supposed to meet my parents, something happens and you bail on me. But let’s just put it behind us.”

He smiled at her, his brown eyes warm. Betty remembered all the good times they’d had. The sweet guy that she had fallen in love with all those years ago was still in there somewhere.

“I have a car waiting downstairs. We’ll have lunch at that Japanese place you love and I bought matinee tickets for that new musical you wanted to see. I know I’ve been super busy, but we’ll have a great time today. It’ll be a perfect day, just for you.”

She couldn’t give up on him when he was trying so hard. They had such a long history together. Seven years of her life had been wrapped up in this man. She had to give it another try.

It was a nice day together. Ryan was sweet and attentive and charming. But all day, in the back of her mind, she thought of Jughead. She wondered what he was doing, what he would think about the play and dinner, and how brunch had gone with his friends.

By the end of the day she knew what she had to do. She admitted to herself that she had fallen out of love with her Ryan. She didn’t want to be with him anymore. This big show of effort was too little, too late.

She just had to get through Christmas. The day with Ryan and her parents had been planned for months. It was too soon after her mother’s falling out with Polly for her to disappoint her mom. She’d completely skid off the rails. After New Year’s, Betty would break it off with Ryan and break the truth to her mother.

It was just one more month. One more month wasn’t long at all.


	5. Date Me

_December 12_

_8:34 PM_

Betty hung up the phone. Of course Ryan had canceled again. She wasn’t sure how much more of this crap she could take. She’d known since Thanksgiving that she wanted out of this relationship. Putting up with this nonsense until Christmas seemed like an eternity.

With a sigh, she grabbed her keys and walked across the hall. Jughead opened the door as soon as she knocked.

“It’s Thursday night, so I assumed that lawyer boy stood you up again. But I see you’re wearing a comfy sweatshirt and no makeup so that can’t be it.” Jughead’s voice was sharp and sarcastic.

“I knew he’d cancel on me, Jug. I didn’t even bother making dinner this time.”

Jughead leaned against the door frame. “You do realize that this is the thirteenth time he’s done this to you? It only took you twelve times to give up on him. I don’t understand why you put up with it. Seriously, why are you still with him?" 

“It’s complicated, Jug.” She was counting the days until she could dump Ryan. If she explained to Jughead why she was waiting until after Christmas, he’d think she was nuts. She didn’t want him to think less of her. 

His jaw hardened. “Okay. Fine. What would you like to do for dinner?”

“I want to lie on my couch and eat a can of frosting and feel sorry for myself.” 

“Sounds like fun. Do you want company?”

Ten minutes later, Betty was lying on her couch eating chocolate frosting out of the can. Jughead sat at the end of the couch, her feet in his lap. There was a large platter of Christmas cookies on the table, which Jughead was inhaling. 

“These are the test cookies.” Betty explained. “I haven’t decided which ones to make for Christmas yet. You have to tell me what your favorites are. We always have five or six different kinds.”

“I love these.” Jughead held up a carefully decorated snowman.

“That’s just a plain sugar cookie.” Betty shrugged. “Nothing special.”

“It’s really good.”

Betty sat up and pointed at a small white cookie. “Try one of those, Jug. I think you’ll like them.” 

He ate one. “Wow, that tastes just like eggnog.” 

She smiled. “I thought you’d like that. I remembered from last year that you really like eggnog.”

Jughead loved cookies. Well, Jughead loved food, but he could consume a ridiculous amount of cookies in a very short time. Despite this, he didn’t have an ounce of flesh on him. Betty watched his bicep flex as he reached forward and grabbed another cookie. He had a really nice mouth. Nice jaw. All in all, Jughead Jones was hot; so very hot.

“You’re staring at me.” Jughead raised his eyebrows. “Am I eating too many cookies?”

Betty felt herself flush. “No, eat all the cookies that you want.”

He looked over at her, munching his cookie. “You okay over there, just sadly eating frosting? Is there anything that I can do to cheer you up?”

“Being with you always makes me happy, Jug.” It was true. Being with Jughead was always the best part of her day. Days where she didn’t see him were never her favorite days.

“Maybe you should be dating me then,” Jughead said, his voice serious. “Instead of that meathead.”

“Very funny.” Betty sat up and took a cookie from the platter.

“I’m not joking.“ Jughead put his hand on her shoulder. “Betty. Look at me.”

Betty turned her head and met his intent gaze.

“Break up with him. Date me.” He kissed her on the corner of her mouth; on her chin; on the side of her neck. “He is the wrong guy for you. I’m the right one.”

“You want to date me?” Betty’s mind reeled.

He smiled at her, his face radiant. “Betty, I am head over heels in love with you.” His thumb ran across her lower lip. His eyes kept dropping to her mouth. He was thinking about kissing her.

Jughead Jones was in love with her. She loved him too. He was the one that she wanted.

He caressed the back of her neck with his fingers. “I think you have feelings for me, too.” He looked at her, his eyes serious. “Something’s changed between us lately, hasn’t it?" 

It had. It had been building under the surface for a long time. He’d been her comfort and her solace and her joy for months.

Betty cupped his jaw and kissed him. His mouth was sweet and warm and he kissed like a dream. A gentle embrace became more. He grabbed the back of her head and his tongue swept her mouth. The kisses grew more passionate, heated. Betty was filled with desire for him.

He broke the kiss and took a deep breath. “I thought this was all in my head,” he whispered in her ear. “But the way you’re touching me now, Betty, it’s anything but one-sided.”

He pulled her onto his lap and grabbed her ass with his hands. She gasped as he licked and sucked on her neck. Arousal filled her and she writhed with pleasure.

“Jug.” Her voice was high and breathless.

Jughead covered her mouth with his and kissed her deeply. His hands pulled her ass closer towards him and she felt his erection. With a shift of his hips, he ground his pelvis against hers. He was hard and big and she could feel his heat. She moaned with pleasure.

“I want you so badly,” Jughead whispered in her ear. He wrapped his arms around her and stood up. “Let’s go to bed.”

He carried towards her bedroom. The haze of lust cleared and Betty came to her senses. She couldn’t do this with him, not yet. “Jug, wait.”

He looked down at her. “Tell me you want me,” he murmured. His pupils were huge, his blue eyes mostly black. “Tell me you want me like I want you, Betty.”

She certainly did. “I do. But I can’t do this now.”

He put her down and stepped away. “It’s fine.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I’m rushing you. I’m sorry. I just got... carried away.”

Betty had, too. She took a deep breath and licked her lips. “I’m the one who started this. I shouldn’t have kissed you. That was a mistake.”

She needed to get out of the relationship with Ryan before she began a new one with Jughead. She couldn’t do that until after Christmas. It wasn’t right to get physical with Jug, even though she wanted to very much.

“You think this was a _mistake_?” All of the warmth in his face, the affection in his eyes, flickered out.

She struggled to find the right words. “Look, Jug, you mean so much to me. You’re such a great guy. I just can’t do this-”

He turned away from her. “Just stop right there. It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything else.” His voice was totally flat, expressionless.

He slammed the door of her apartment and left her alone, miserable.


	6. Call Your Boyfriend

_Christmas Eve_

_4:34 PM_

Betty wanted, needed, this Christmas to be perfect. She looked around her apartment. Months of pinning inspiration photos, scouring thrift shops and making runs to Target at lunch had helped create her vision of the perfect Christmas decor. Her white mantle was decorated with pinecones, a trio of ceramic snowmen, and a miniature Christmas tree in a red pot, trimmed with tiny glass balls in all the colors of the rainbow. In the corner she had her tree stand and the white fluffy tree skirt that she’d found for pennies and jazzed up a little, adding extra fur and sequins until it was exactly right.

All she needed was her tree. She’d saved the image of her inspiration tree on her phone: a seven-foot tall, full and perfect Colorado blue spruce. She buttoned up red wool toggle coat, pulled on her ear warmers and grabbed her keys.

She marched across the hall and knocked on the door. Jughead opened it, frowning.

“I know you’ve been avoiding me,” said Betty. “I’ve tried giving you space, for the time being. I know you think I led you on and you’re angry with me. But I need your help, Jug. You promised to help me with my Christmas tree. I really can’t get it up to the apartment by myself.”

“Why don’t you call your boyfriend to do it?” Jughead suggested, his voice sharp.

“Ryan is at work,” Betty explained. Even if he wasn’t, there was zero chance that he would be willing to come all the way to Brooklyn to help her. Not to mention that she’d completely given up on depending on him to do anything that she needed.

“That is not my problem,” Jughead replied. His face was closed off, his jaw set.

“You know what? Never mind. I’ll see if the super can help me.” Betty walked down the hall, feeling embarrassed and dumb.

“Betty, wait.”

She turned around and waited.

Jughead ran both hands through his hair. “Damn it, Betty. Just. Just...let me get my boots on.” With a sigh, he turned on his heel and went back into his apartment. In a few minutes, he returned, wrapped in a brown suede coat with a plaid fleece hat with earflaps on his head. He looked dorky but well prepared for the cold.

“Let’s get this over with.” He reached into his coat and put on his gloves.

“I really appreciate it,” Betty replied. She looked over at him; he was looking away from her. She’d never seen him so distant.

They walked down the hall to the stairwell. “You’re lucky you caught me,” said Jughead. “I’m heading to LA on the red eye tonight. My dad sent my sister and I plane tickets to visit with him for Christmas.”

“I thought you were staying here in the city for Christmas?”

Jughead shrugged. “I decided I needed a change of scenery.”

Betty knew full well that she was the reason he needed a change and stamped down the urge to say something. She had no right to string him along; when she’d made a clean break with Ryan, then she’d tell him how she felt about him.

They passed the landing on the second floor. Mrs. Obermayer pushed the door open. She had her Great Dane, Scooby, on his leash.

“Hey, Scooby!” Betty patted the dog’s head as he looked up at her with his big brown eyes. “Hi, Mrs. Obermayer.”

The dog jumped up on his hind legs, putting his paws on Jughead’s shoulders. He laughed as the dog licked his face.

“Down, Scoob!” the old woman said sternly. “You’re the only one he does that to, Jughead.”

“I don’t mind,” said Jughead. “He’s a sweetheart.” He patted the dog and they continued down the stairs.

“You’re definitely a dog person.”

“My best friend growing up was my dog,” Jughead explained. “I can’t wait to get a dog of my own. But I’m not ready for that level of responsibility. Working all day, writing all night. My schedule’s not good for a puppy.”

They stepped into the tiny lobby, their steps clattering on the worn linoleum. The two of them passed the row of mailboxes and the ancient elevator and Jughead opened the door that led to the street and gestured her through.

Outside, the sun was setting. The sky was peach and pink with streaks of gold. The street was full of people, laden down with boxes and bags.

They walked past the busker on the corner, a girl in a magenta beret singing a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night.” Betty stopped and pulled out her wallet, tossing a few dollars into the empty guitar case. Jughead did the same. They stopped for a moment and listened until the song ended, and then they continued on.

“I love everything about Christmas,” said Betty. “It’s a different feeling, this year, being in the city. But you’re lucky; you are going home for Christmas.”

“It’s been a long time. It will make my sister happy to have me there and that’s the most important thing.” Jughead flipped up his collar as his breath smoked in the cold air.

“Sorry it’s so cold. This shouldn’t take too long.”

But when they turned the corner to the Christmas tree lot, Betty stopped short. There were only a handful of trees left. Small ones. Lopsided ones.

“No!” she gasped. “Oh no! No!”

Betty ran onto the lot and found the owner. “I need a Colorado blue spruce, seven feet tall!”

“Then you should have come right after Thanksgiving, doll.” He gestured with his hands. “This is what’s left on Christmas Eve.”

“But back home we always got our tree on Christmas Eve!” Betty was completely freaking out. She tried to swell the tide of panic rising inside her. “That’s our family tradition! We’d get the tree and have cocoa and put the decorations and tinsel on! We always had a Colorado blue spruce, that’s my mom’s favorite!”

“Well, here in the big city, people start buying their trees early. Next year, pick your tree earlier, blondie.”

Another customer waved him over and he left Betty standing there. She looked around with wide eyes. This was all wrong. All wrong. After trying so hard, for so long, she’d ruined Christmas.

A strong hand caressed her shoulder. “Don’t look so sad.” Jughead kissed her forehead. “It’s okay, Betts. This isn’t the only tree lot in the city. We’ll find another.”

“It’ll be a long walk back to the apartment carrying a tree,” Betty protested. “I know you didn’t even want to come in the first place.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll find your perfect tree.”

They walked block after block, stopping along the way at lot after lot. It was all the same: small, misshapen trees. None of them were what she wanted. At the fifth tree lot, Betty sighed. “I’m screwed. I waited too long and I’m screwed. I’ve destroyed Christmas. My mother is going to be so upset with me.”

Jughead patted her shoulder. “There’s always a plan B. We could go to a department store, get a big artificial tree?”

“My mother would hate that,” said Betty. “It wouldn’t be the same.”

“Okay. Let’s grab a cup of coffee and regroup.”

They walked to a coffee shop across the street from the latest tree lot. Betty stared mournfully out the window as she sipped on cocoa. The warmth pooled in her stomach, helping her heat up.

She’d ruined Christmas. The disappointment was so extreme that she bit her lip, trying to calm down. All of her planning had been for nothing.

Jughead ate a slice of apple pie a la mode in large, quick bites, while typing fast on his phone with the other hand. “Okay, I think I have a solution to your problem."

“A time machine?” Betty smiled bitterly.

“No, better than that.” He put some bills on the table. “You sit tight here. I’ll be right back with my truck.”

“Where-” she began, but he was already off and running. She watched him run down the street, his legs carrying him very fast.


	7. Here's The Plan

_Christmas Eve_

_5:45 PM_

Soon afterward, a horn honked outside. Betty saw Jughead, behind the wheel of his battered old brown truck, waving.

She quickly stepped out of the coffee shop and opened the passenger door. “Hop in,” he said with a smile. She climbed in and Jughead smoothly pulled out into the heavy city traffic.

“Okay, so here’s the plan,” said Jughead. “Two hours north of the city is a place called Little Lou’s Christmas Tree Farm. I called them. They have a seven-foot tall Colorado blue spruce with your name on it. We just need to get up there, chop it down, and haul it back here.”

“Are you serious?” Betty squealed. “You found my tree?”

He nodded. “I found your tree.”

Her heart swelled. God, she loved him. He was so kind and caring and amazing. She wished she could tell him how much she meant to her. Soon she would; just one more day. Well, maybe more than one. As soon as Jug came home from California, she would make him an amazing meal and tell him that she loved him too.

She patted his arm. “Oh, this is so awesome. So great!”

“I know this tree is important to you. You’ve been getting ready for Christmas for weeks." 

“Are you sure that it’s okay? I mean, do you have to pack for your flight out tonight?”

“I’m a guy, Betty. I throw a few things in a duffel bag, I’m good to go.”

Traffic had ground to a halt as they approached the bridge. The cars in front of them honked, leaning on the horn.

“If traffic is this bad, you might not make it back in time for your flight,” Betty commented, her brows furrowing.

Jughead shrugged. “I’m willing to risk it, but the flight doesn’t leave until midnight. JB will forgive me if I miss the flight, but I’d better have a good excuse. I know she’s looking forward to being with the whole family. We haven’t been in the same room together since Dad got remarried last year.”

“I remember when you flew out to California for the wedding, but you didn’t really talk about it when you came back.”

Jughead shrugged. “Not much to say.”

“Do you not like your new stepmom?” asked Betty.

“To be honest. I don’t know Deirdre very well. Which is my own fault; I haven’t tried to get to know her at all. The fact that my stepmother is only two years older than I am just...makes me really uncomfortable. Dad is over twenty years older than she is.”

“That’s a big age difference. I understand why you feel weird about it.”

“He’s invited me to come and visit more times than I can count. But JB pulled out the full guilt trip about being together this Christmas.” Jughead sighed and adjusted the hat on his head awkwardly. “Jellybean is flying down from Providence; we’re meeting at JFK at midnight and taking the overnight flight to Los Angeles together. Then it’s just about an hour’s drive down to Newport Beach, where Dad lives." 

“So if nothing else, you’ll get to spend some quality time with your baby sister.”

“Yes, I’ve missed her a lot.” Jughead smiled. “I can’t believe that JB is all grown up and in college now. You know, she is the spitting image of my mother. She looks exactly like her.”

“Jug, you’ve never mentioned your mom before.” He never had, not in all the time they had known each other.

There was a long silence. “It’s not something I really like talking about.”

“I don’t mean to pry; I’ve just always wondered.”

The traffic thinned out a bit and they were finally moving at highway speed.

Jughead worried his lower lip with his teeth. “When JB was just a baby, my mom died. Cancer. It turned out that she’d had cancer while she was pregnant with JB, and she didn’t get treatment because she didn’t want to hurt the baby. So, when I was six, she died.”

“Oh, Jug.” Betty was overwhelmed with sadness for him. His face was full of pain. She took Jughead’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. I loved her so much. We were a lot alike; I always felt like she understood me. She always made me feel safe and happy.” His voice thickened and he cleared his throat. 

“You must miss her a lot.” Betty’s family meant everything to her. She couldn’t imagine the pain of losing one of her parents.

“Honestly, I try not to think of her.” He entwined his fingers with hers and let out a deep sigh. “It’s the worst thing that ever happened to me, losing my mom. After she died, my life was never the same.”

Betty tried to think of something to say. “I’m sure your dad tried to be there for you and your sister. Not that he could make up for losing your mom...”

Jughead laughed bitterly. “No, Dad decided to crawl into a bottle and stay there for the next decade.”

Jughead had never told her that before. “How awful for you.” It explained why he never drank alcohol.

He shrugged. “It’s in the past. None of it matters anymore.” He let go of her hand and turned on the radio. It was Elvis, singing _Blue Christmas_ , and Betty couldn’t help but smile.

“My grandfather loved Elvis,” said Betty. “He had a Christmas album of his and we listened to it every year.”

“My dad has that album too,” said Jughead. “It’s a Christmas classic at the Jones house. Christmas was usually a happy day; Dad tried really hard to make it special for us, to make it a good day. I’ll give him that.”

“Thank you for telling me about your family, Jug,” Betty said she patted him on his knee. “It means a lot to me, that you’re willing to open up to me about it.”

“It means a lot to you?” asked Jughead. “Opening up about my childhood trauma?” His tone was light, but Betty knew he was very serious.

“Yes,” said Betty. “You mean a lot to me. So much.”

He didn’t respond at all, just stared at the road.

“Jug. I’ve missed you terribly, every day of the last couple of weeks. I know that I hurt you. I didn’t mean to. I care about you more than I can say.” She couldn’t find the right words, to tell him how she felt. She was usually so good with words.

“I’ve been avoiding you,” Jughead said softly. “I didn’t want to see you. I was hoping to make it through Christmas without seeing you again.”

Hearing him say the words stung.

Jughead took a deep breath. “I have some news. I’m leaving New York after New Year’s. I’ve found someone to sublet my apartment. I’m flying from LA straight to Austin.”

“What?” Betty turned to him, astonished. “Why?”

“A friend of mine from film school has a place there.” Jughead licked his lips. “I’m going to crash there for a while. In March the South by Southwest festival will be happening in Austin. You remember how they were talking about making my first screenplay into a film? Well, it happened this fall. I didn’t want to jinx it by making a big deal about it or anything. Anyway, they shot the film and it’s ready for release. The director, Rodney, is confident that he will find a distributor there.”

“Wow,” Betty exclaimed. “That’s huge. That’s amazing, Jug.” Her voice sounded chipper; inside, her heart was breaking. He was leaving her.

“With all the industry people in town to see the film, I’ll be able to do some networking. Hopefully it’s a launch off to bigger things. I could use a break in my career. I’m tired of hanging drywall. I’m tired of a lot of things.” He cleared his throat. “I need a fresh start. Austin seems like a good place to do it.”

The traffic thinned out at last and they were finally moving at highway speed.

Betty thought over what Jughead had told her. She couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. Her heart hurt that he was leaving. All the half-baked plans that she’d made, to tell him how she felt, to make an entirely new sort of relationship with him, fell apart. Leaving New York to pursue his dreams was the best thing for his career. It would be selfish to ask him to stay. It was too late now, to tell him that she loved him. Her stupid quest for a perfect Christmas had ruined everything.

She couldn’t show him that he’d just destroyed her. She sat up straight and put her chin up. She wanted to cry, but instead she clenched her fists and made her voice as light as possible.

“I have some big news, too.”

“Oh?” He sounded like he couldn’t care less.

“I got the job, the advice column for the _Tribune_.”

Jughead smiled at her; it was a real smile that reached his eyes. “I knew they would pick you.”

“I’m on cloud nine, really.” She had been, until Jughead had told her he was leaving. “I don’t have to stress out about making rent anymore. I hope that I never have to tap into savings to pay the water bill ever again, you know? I can even put some money in savings each month.” She blathered on about all of these details that had seemed so fantastic a few hours ago. Right now, she didn’t care at all.

“It sounds like things are really coming together for you.” Jughead’s voice was flat. “You’ll have everything you wanted.”

Not even close. “Absolutely,” Betty said, as cheerfully as she could fake.

For the rest of the drive upstate, they listened to Christmas music in silence. Finally, they reached their destination and Jughead drove very slowly down a narrow gravel road. 

“Are you sure this is the place?” asked Betty.

“The GPS says we’re here,” said Jughead. The road narrowed out into a parking area with a small hut off to the side. A bright light shone through a window.

Jughead parked and they walked over to the hut. Just as they reached the door, it swung open. “Merry Christmas!” said a booming voice. A very tall and broad man with a large white beard came out. His cheeks were red and full and he was wearing a red and black buffalo check jacket with matching pants and big black boots.

“You look like Santa,” Betty blurted.

The man laughed. “I’m Little Lou. Pleased to meet you.” He shook their hands. “So, you bring a sled? An ax? A saw? A couple of lanterns?”

“None of those things, no,” said Jughead.

With an outlay of cash they obtained all of the necessary items and paid for the tree itself. They followed Little Lou through the Christmas tree farm. It was bitterly cold and a few stray flakes were falling.

“I’m surprised you all came up here, with the blizzard coming.”

“There’s a blizzard coming?” asked Betty.

“Well, they say so. Might just be a snowstorm. We’ll see. Sometimes the weathermen get it wrong.” He stopped and pointed at a tall tree. “So, your boyfriend said you wanted a seven-foot Colorado blue spruce. This one is nice and full. How about it?”

“It’s perfect.” Betty lifted up her lantern and looked up at the tree, its beautiful blue color. It had full, symmetrical needles and was exactly what she had imagined.

“Alrighty, I’ll meet you back at the shack when you’re done. I don’t cut them down myself, not since I dropped a Fraser fir on myself back in ’92. I was in traction for a month. The wife was pretty pissed.” The big man lumbered away into the dark. 

“I’ve never cut down a tree before. First time for everything.” Jughead swung the ax at the base of the tree and wood chips flew. After a few minutes, he stopped. “Damn, this is really hard.” He stripped off his jacket and handed it to Betty. After a few more cuts, he used the jigsaw to saw it. It took a very long time. The snowflakes that had softly begun to fall were now piling up fast. The snow was ankle deep by the time that the tree fell over with a crash.

The two of them carried the tree over to the sled and headed through the farm towards the parking area. They knocked on the door of the hut and Lou came out. “I was just about to get the dog and go looking for the two of you.”

“It’s harder to cut down a tree than we thought,” said Jughead.

“I didn’t really help,” Betty said apologetically.

Lou helped Betty and Jughead load the tree into the truck. The tree was longer than the truck’s bed, so the top of it leaned against the cab, blocking the rear windshield. Lou and Jughead tied down the tree so that it wouldn’t move. By the time that they finished securing the tree, the snow was coming down hard. The three of them were calf deep in snow.

“You kids aren’t going to make it back to the city tonight,” said Lou. “You need to find somewhere to stay the night. This isn’t just a snowstorm; we’ve got a blizzard rolling in.” 

“We’re never going to make it back in time for my flight.” Jughead turned to Betty. “I think we’d better find a hotel and get a couple of rooms for the night. I don’t want to risk getting stranded on the road in the truck.”

“I agree, it’s not safe,” Betty agreed.

“The closest hotel is fifteen miles away in Rockland,” said Lou. “But the wife and I own a cabin that we rent through Airbnb. It’s just up the road about two miles. The couple that rented it for tonight got snowed in and called to cancel. So it’s paid for, if you want it. There’s food, drinks, the whole nine yards just waiting.”

“Yes, absolutely, thank you,” said Betty. She pulled out her wallet and handed him some cash. “We’ll take it.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary,” he said.

Jughead handed him some cash, too. “We really appreciate it.”

With a sheet of notebook paper from Jughead’s backpack, Lou drew them a quick map to the property and wrote down the code for the lockbox on the front door. He scribbled his cell phone number down, too.

“We’ve got a snowplow here on the farm,” Lou explained. “Once the county plows the main road, I’ll plow the road up to the cabin and get you out of there as soon as possible in the morning. When you get to the cabin, give me a call to let me know that you made it safely.”

The wind howled as Jughead and Betty climbed into the truck and headed back down the winding gravel road.


	8. A Perfect Little Christmas

_Christmas Eve_   
_9:00 PM_

By the time that they got back onto the main road, it was nearly impossible to see through the windshield. The flakes were falling fast.

“I have to pull over,” said Jughead. “It’s not safe to drive in this.”

Betty looked at the hand-drawn map with the light on her cell phone. “It looks like we’re about a mile from the cabin after we pass a billboard for a maple syrup company.”

Jughead nodded. “I see it right there.” He pulled over and parked right in front of the billboard on the side of the road. With the engine off, they could hear the sound of the wind howling all around them. The storm was quickly growing into what Lou said it was: a blizzard.

Jughead grabbed a blanket from the back seat of the truck and a backpack. “We’ll make it to the cabin, Betty, don’t worry.”

They got out of the truck and were hit in the face with the pelting, whistling snow. Jughead pulled on his backpack and wrapped the blanket around Betty. “You need a better winter coat.” Betty was shivering in her jacket. The light from the lanterns they carried were two thin beams in the whirling, cold darkness.

“I thought I was headed down the block to pick up a tree, not off for an upstate winter adventure.” Betty held up her lantern in front of her face, but all she could see was swirling white flakes. It was a long, uncomfortable walk up the gravel road towards the cabin. “If we wander off the road, we’re going to freeze to death out here.”

Jughead took her hand and led her through the snow. His hand on hers was warm and comforting. “That’s just not going to happen,” he said confidently.

Betty wasn’t so sure.

It took longer than Betty had thought possible to walk a mile through a blizzard. Finally, they saw the outline of the large log cabin.

“We made it,” said Jughead.

“I didn’t doubt we would,” Betty replied.

He turned and smiled at her. “I think you doubted a little bit, Cooper.”

They found the path up to the log cabin, marked with a wooden sign in the shape of a heart with “Honeymoon Heaven” written in bright red letters.

They made their way up the flagstone path and onto the wide porch. A foot of snow had already blown against the door. Betty tried to enter the code on the door lock, but her hands were shaking from cold. Jughead took the paper, entered the code, and with a soft click, they were inside the cabin.

It was just one big room inside, but there was a lot to see.

“Wow, I was expecting like...bunk beds and a woodstove,” said Jughead.

In the center of the cabin was a large fireplace faced in river rocks, with a plaid couch and a coffee table centered in front of it. Against the far left wall was a king size bed covered in a patchwork quilt, bracketed by two nightstands made of knotty pine. A moose head was mounted on the wall over the bed. A small door in the wall nearby was marked “washroom.”

In the far right corner of the cabin was a small kitchenette with a stove and refrigerator.  
A small wooden table with four chairs was next to the kitchen. On it was a platter of chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne in a metal ice bucket. Betty walked over to the table and picked up a folded card. “Enjoy your stay, Archie and Veronica! Happy honeymoon!”

“Sorry, Veronica. Hope you’re having fun wherever you are,” said Betty. She took a strawberry from the platter and ate it. It was juicy and delicious.

Jughead hung up his coat on the coat rack next to the door and pulled out his cell phone. “Mr. Lou? Hi, this is Jughead Jones. Yes, we’re at the cabin. I had to leave my truck down the road; I parked it in front of the billboard.” He listened for a moment. “Oh, that’s great. Yes. See you in the morning.”

There was a door in the wall next to the kitchen marked with a picture of two puppies bathing in a glass of champagne. Betty opened the door and walked through. It was a four-season room, a large deck that was enclosed completely in glass. She could see the snow falling through the glass, but the room itself was comfortable and warm. In the center of the porch on a wooden platform was a heart-shaped, two-person hot tub. Next to it was a long wooden bench with two folded terry cloth robes and a wicker basket full of rolled towels.

“Hell yes,” said Betty. She walked over to the hot tub, read the instructions on the card taped to the wall and turned it on. She shivered, pulling the blanket closer. She had been so cold that warming up hurt, her hands and feet tingling.

“Betty, where did you go?” called Jughead.

“Go through the door next to the kitchen,” Betty called out.

Seconds later he joined her. “Holy crap, is that a hot tub?” Jughead asked incredulously.

“This is the least rustic cabin I’ve ever seen.” She turned to him with a smile. “Makes sense, if it is for honeymooners.”

“Speaking of honeymooners, Lou said that his wife left dinner in the refrigerator for the couple that was supposed to be here. So we just need to heat it up.”

“That sounds awesome but I want to warm up first. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than soaking in a hot tub right now.” The hot tub beeped, having reached temperature. “I’m just going to wing it, since I obviously didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

Betty folded up Jughead’s blanket and set it on the bench and took off the rest of her clothes. When she was down to her navy blue bra and underwear, she walked up onto the platform and sank down into the bubbling, hot water with a sigh. It was the most luxurious feeling in the world.

She opened her eyes. Jughead was still standing in the middle of the room, watching her.

“Aren’t you going to join me?” she asked. “I’m sure you’re as cold as I am. This is so warm.”

He shrugged. “I, um, I’m not wearing underwear. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” His cheeks flushed as he said it.

Betty waved him over. “It’s too damn cold to be chivalrous. I promise I won’t peek. Climb on in.”

Betty closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She heard a rustle, and then unzipping, followed by the tossing off of heavy boots and then a splash in the tub.

“It’s safe to look now.”

She opened her eyes. She’d never seen Jughead without a shirt before. Underneath the slouchy oversized black t-shirts he favored, he was built. He had great arm muscles, nice pecs. Nice everything.

“You are gorgeous.” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I had no idea you had all those muscles.”

She realized that she was ogling him and quickly looked up at his face. He was smiling, his eyes filled with light. “You know I install drywall all day, right?”

“I’m glad,” Betty babbled. “Wow.”

Jughead laughed. “Well, I’m looking forward to not doing it anymore. But the increased upper body strength sure helped out tonight with that tree.”

“You were amazing. I could not have done that all by myself.” Betty relaxed into the tub, trying to relax the tense muscles in her back. “This is bliss. I swear I’ve never been so cold in my life.”

“I can finally feel my fingers and my toes.”

Betty watched Jughead as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. The thought of not having him around every day hurt. He was the most important person in her life.

“I am going to miss you terribly when you go to Austin,” Betty admitted. She needed him to know that.

“You’ll be fine,” he said lightly. “You’ll have your new job, and Ryan, and....”

“I’m breaking up with Ryan as soon as Christmas is over.”

He lifted his head and met her eyes. “You’re really breaking up with him?”

“I don’t love him. I haven’t wanted to be with him for a while. I’m done.” Betty’s voice was clear and certain.

“When did you decide to break it off?” he asked.

“I’ve been unhappy for a long time. You know that, better than anyone. But Thanksgiving really clinched it.”

Jughead blinked in shock. “If you’ve known since Thanksgiving that you wanted to end things with Ryan, why the hell haven’t you done it yet?”

“I can’t just end a seven-year-long relationship right before Christmas,” Betty explained.

“Wait.” He glared at her, his eyes angry. “When you kissed me, and then told me to get lost, you were already planning to break up with Ryan?”

“I didn’t want to push you away,” said Betty. “I want to be with you, Jughead. I just couldn’t break up with him yet.”

“Why the hell not? You don’t owe this guy anything,” Jughead insisted. “Not a thing.”

“You don’t understand. I’ve invited my parents to my apartment for Christmas. They’re expecting to meet my perfect boyfriend for the first time. Everything is planned out. I can’t just break it off with Ryan and tell my mother that my perfect boyfriend is actually a complete jackass. She’s already completely flipped her lid because of what happened with Polly. She will be so disappointed in me. It will ruin her Christmas more than the tree!”

“So you’re just going to pretend to have a perfect little Christmas for your mom and dad, spend the day with that dick Ryan and pretend everything is great, and then dump him?” Jughead looked incredulous.

“Yes?” Betty said uncertainly. Her plan sounded even more stupid out loud.

“What the fuck, Betty?” Jughead looked absolutely horrified.

“I don’t have a choice,” Betty explained. “I can’t risk disappointing my family.”

“You’re supposed to be a grown woman, but your whole life revolves around making your mommy proud of you.” Jughead’s voice was dark and bitter.

That stung. “You know what? Screw you, Jug.”

Betty walked out of the tub and pulled on one of the robes.


	9. The Real You

_Christmas Eve_

_10:00 PM_

Betty went into the bathroom and dried her hair with a blow dryer that was in one of the drawers. She couldn’t believe that Jughead had said that to her! But the more she mulled over it, the more truth she saw in it. She really was afraid of disappointing her parents, more than anything. No wonder her life was such a mess.

When she was done, she went out into the main room.

Jughead was building a fire in the fireplace. He was fully dressed again in his pants and sweater. “Please come here,” he said in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

She sat down next to him and watched as he methodically set up the logs. “I accept your apology,” Betty said stiffly. “Are you hungry? I can get dinner started now.”

He looked over at her. “Yeah. I’m starving.”

The dinner was completely prepped and ready to go in the refrigerator: prime rib and side dishes. There was a note with reheating instructions. Betty read through the directions and popped the casserole dishes into the oven. In a half hour, dinner would be ready to eat. She set a timer on the oven and left the kitchen.

She joined Jughead at the fireplace. It was burning merrily now, heating the room. “We will have a prime rib dinner in half an hour.”

“Sounds good.” He looked over at her. “Look, I am really sorry that I hurt your feelings. I acted like an asshole. I just get so frustrated with your choices, Betty. You’re so worried about what your family wants, what they think. You’re an adult but you’re not in control of your own life.”

“I’m doing the best that I can,” she said quietly.

“So you do have feelings for me?” He looked over at her. “That wasn’t my imagination.”

“It wasn’t your imagination, Jug. Of course not.” Her heart hurt. She loved him so much and she’d ruined it all. She’d hurt him so badly.

He bit his lip. “You know what I‘m afraid of? That even if Ryan is out of the picture, you’ll choose another guy just like him. I was listening when you told me why you were with Ryan, Betty. Ivy League. Good job. Good family.”

“I wasn’t with him just because of that,” Betty argued.

“Yes, you were,” Jughead said angrily. ”That douchebag ticked all the boxes on your mom’s son-in-law wish list, so you held on to him no matter how badly he treated you. You want a veneer of perfection to please your mom and dad, not something real." 

“I do want something real,” said Betty heatedly. “You don’t know how I feel inside, Jug!”

“Then show me,” Jughead said intently. “I want you to show me who you really are, Betty Cooper. I get these glimpses of you, the real you, and you are the most amazing woman I know. You don’t have to hide from me. Show me who you are.”

“But you’re leaving me,” Betty blurted out. “You’re leaving me and going to Austin and I swear I feel like you’re ripping my heart out.” Her voice broke and she held back tears.

Jughead cupped her face in his hands. “Then ask me to stay, Betty! Give me a reason to stay. Please.” His eyes bored into hers, dark and serious.

“I want to, but I can’t. Not now.” It was too late; it was Christmas Eve. She couldn’t break it off with Ryan now; couldn’t tell her parents the truth. Her heart beat faster. The thought of causing so much drama right before Christmas made her feel sick.

But she couldn’t lose Jug. She loved him. She needed him and he needed her too. They made each other better people; they made each other happy; they belonged together.

“Come on, Betty.” Jughead brushed his thumb across her cheek. “Forget about Ryan. Forget about your family. What do you really want?”

“You,” she said softly. “I want to wake up with you on Christmas morning. More than that, I want to wake up with you _every_ morning. I love you, Jughead. I hope you still love me, too.”

His eyes filled with light and he smiled. “There’s my brave Betty Cooper. There’s the girl I love.”

Betty leaned forward and kissed him. She adored kissing him: his scent, his taste, and the way his lips felt on hers. She sighed and put her hands on his back, pulling him closer to her. The kiss deepened. He made a gasping noise as he moved his tongue into her mouth.

Jughead put his hands on the tie of her robe. “I want to unwrap you like a present,” he whispered and licked the edge of her ear. 

She shivered. “Jug.” The thought of Jughead seeing her completely naked made her feel nervous. She tried to push the feeling from her mind.

“Keep saying my name like that. All breathy and sexy.” His hands slid inside her robe and cupped her breasts. 

“Juggie,” she breathed. She lost herself in the moment, in his touch. His hands were everywhere, his mouth was hot, and he pulled her robe off.

“I want to see you naked.” He unfastened her bra and she wriggled out of it. He took a long look at her breasts, then leaned down and sucked her nipple into his mouth.

It felt amazing, but she was worried. “I taste like chlorine,” she protested. She didn’t want to turn him off in any way.

“I don’t care. This is a goddamned dream come true.” He brushed his fingers across her thighs. After a few minutes of licking and sucking her breasts, he slid down her body and pulled off her panties.

“What are you doing?” she asked him 

“I want to push my tongue inside you and taste how sweet you are.” He spread her thighs and pressed his mouth between her legs.

The pleasure was so intense that Betty cried out. “Oh God!”

He sucked her clit and licked her between her legs. It felt so good. She had lost all control; both of her hands were tangled in his hair. “Oh please Jug, please.” He made her come, over and over, with his mouth and his tongue and his hands.

The smoke detector began to beep, loud and unceasingly. Even so, Jughead wouldn’t stop licking her until she reached orgasm one more time. When she sat up, still short of breath, the room was tinged with smoke and the alarm was deafening.

“I should have stopped, Betty. We’re going to burn the place down.” Jughead ran into the kitchen. Betty pulled her robe on and followed him.


	10. Pour My Heart Out

_Christmas Eve_

_10:40 PM_

Their dinner, it turned out, was fine; there was a coating of black crud on the oven floor that had begun to smoke. Betty dealt with the situation while Jughead cracked open the window over the sink. A large amount of snow fell inside, but the cool air did the trick: the alarm stopped pealing and the air cleared.

Lou and his wife had left a feast for the absent honeymooners: prime rib with horseradish cream; asparagus spears dripping with butter; roasted potatoes filled with creamy cheese and garnished with smoked sea salt.

Jughead groaned as he took a bite of steak. “Holy crap. Lou and his wife need to get out of the Christmas tree business and open a restaurant.”

“This is the best meal I have ever had and that includes dinner at French Laundry and Le Cirque.”

“Are those fancy restaurants?” asked Jughead.

“Very,” said Betty, nodding and taking another mouthful.

“I’m not a fancy restaurant person,” laughed Jughead. “You know me. More a chili dog from the convenience store, sandwich from the bodega guy.”

“Gross.”

“No, delicious.” Jughead took a bite of potato. “But not as delicious as this. Damn.”

They finished the meal and cleaned up, loading the dishwasher in the kitchen. Betty opened the refrigerator to put away some leftover vegetables. “Oh, Jug, there are little glass dishes of chocolate mousse in here."

“Let’s eat them in front of the fire,” Jughead suggested.

So they did. Jughead threw the blanket from the bed in front of the fireplace and they snuggled close together, ate mousse and watched the fire. The logs crackled and popped. When they were done, Jughead set the empty cups on the hearth.

“I’m sorry you missed your flight home,” said Betty. “But I’m so glad you’re here with me right now.” She kissed him, their mouths cold from the chilled mousse. “Jug, I know you want to go to Austin. I know you need to go for your career and I respect that. But when the festival is over, come back to me. Come live with me.”

“You’re sure you want that?” Jughead frowned, his brow furrowed. “You’re serious?”

“I’d love to have you with me all the time. Being with you is always the best part of my day. Why wouldn’t I want that every day?” It was true.

“You really mean that?” His eyes were wide. “You’re asking me to move in with you?”

“I am,” she confirmed. “I know that it’ll be hard for you to get used to living in an apartment with actual furniture and a fully stocked refrigerator, but maybe sleeping with me every night will make it worthwhile?”

He laughed and kissed her. “I’m willing to make the sacrifice. But won’t your mother’s head explode?”

Betty shrugged. “I’m an adult. I need to make my own choices. Some of them, my parents aren’t going to like.”

Jughead kissed her forehead. “I know that’s going to be hard for you.”

“You’re worth it.” She smiled. “It is really way past time to stop worrying so much about what my parents think. I think I’ve proven to both of us that I need to change how I deal with them.”

“You’re working on your issues and I’m proud of you. I need to do the same thing.” Jughead reached out and played with a lock of her hair. “I want you to come with me to California. Maybe we can get a flight on the day after Christmas, stay until New Year’s.” He folded his arms around her and pulled her close. ”I want you to meet my family, especially Jellybean. But you need to understand that this is just really complicated for me. I’m screwed up, and when you meet my dad, you’ll find out why.”

“I know you seem to have some very complicated feelings about your dad. Do you want to talk about it?”

He looked away from her and sighed. “My stepmom, Deirdre, is having a baby; it’s a girl. She’s due in March. 

Betty wasn’t sure what to say; he was obviously troubled by this. Maybe it was too upsetting that his dad was remarried, even though his mother had died a long time ago?

“He gets a do-over; a new wife, new family,” Jughead said bleakly, not looking at her. “He gets a second shot at doing it right.” 

“You don’t seem happy for him.”

“JB says I need to work this shit out in therapy, like she did.” He finally raised his eyes to hers. “I just don’t understand why I need to hand over my hard earned cash to a stranger and pour my heart out.”

“Well, you could pour your heart out to me,” said Betty. She closed her hand around his.

“You don’t want to hear about my personal bullshit,” Jughead protested.

Betty squeezed his hand. “I do. Very much, Juggie. I promise.”

He looked into her eyes for a long moment. Something there turned soft and warm, under her gaze. “Look, nothing particularly awful happened to me growing up. A lot of people go through worse, way worse. I don’t have a concrete reason to be this angry, all these years later.”

“But you’re angry,” Betty confirmed, unable to take her eyes off him. 

“Yeah, I’m angry,” Jughead admitted. “My father doesn’t deserve a second chance, a fresh start. I had a crappy childhood because of him, his fuckups. So did JB. We have those memories to carry. It’s not fair that he gets to wipe the slate clean, start over again. We don’t have that luxury. We have to live with everything he did.”

“What did your dad do that ruined your childhood? You said he drank.”

“Yeah, he’s an alcoholic. He wasn’t reliable; wasn’t consistent. He’ll dry out, act like he’s turning over a new leaf, and get your hopes up. Then he’ll backslide, break your heart all over again.” 

“Is he still doing that, that cycle?” Betty rubbed her thumb along the back of his hand. It seemed to relax him a bit, helped him let go of the anger that filled him when he thought about his father. 

“He’s been sober for six years now. He’s even a sponsor now, to a lot of other people in AA. But I can’t stop waiting for the other shoe to drop.” Jughead frowned. “Jellybean believes in him, believes that this time is really different. But I just don’t have faith in him anymore.”

“You don’t have to,” said Betty softly. “It’s okay if you don’t.”

“I’m supposed to. My sister does.”

“You don’t have to forgive your father for all those years of hurting you. I know that JB loves you, means well, but you need to put yourself first. You’re an adult. You don’t have to be with people who hurt you, who make you feel less. You can choose your own family: a circle of friends that you trust; a partner that you can count on. You don’t have to make peace with your dad, if you feel like he hasn’t earned it.”

Jughead dropped her hand and threw another branch on the fire. Sparks flew up into the air, bright and beautiful. He stared into the fire, watching the flames.

“JB says he’s has earned it. Five years ago, he came to us each in person. Apologized for the damage his addiction had caused. Asked us for our forgiveness. JB forgave him, hugged him, they cried together.” Jughead turned and looked at her. “I couldn’t do it. I didn’t feel it was the right thing to do. I still don’t. I just can’t let it go.”

“Maybe you never will. Or maybe you will later, when you find your own peace.”

“I do want to find my peace.” He kissed Betty and stroked her cheek. “I want you to find yours, too.”

“We both have a lot of baggage, Jug.” She traced his jaw with her hand. “But I’m at my happiest when I’m with you.”

Jughead held her tight and kissed her hard. “God, I love you so much, Betty.”

The fireplace flickered and popped as they kissed. Betty loved the way his mouth felt on hers. Jughead’s hands were strong; she was so safe in his arms.

“I want to make love to you,” he whispered in her ear. “I want to fuck you in front of this fire, all night long.” He bit the side of her neck and made her moan. “You make the sexiest little noises when I kiss you, bite you. I want to make you scream my name.”

Betty’s body broke into a cold sweat at the thought. Her belly clenched. She wanted him, just as much as he wanted her. He started to pull off her robe again and she put her hand over his. “I want you too, so much. I do.”

This admission had him pushing her backward and rolling on top of her, giving her deep, passionate kisses that melted her resistance and made her want to spread her legs for him right there, right then. She didn’t want to wait one more minute to be with the man she loved. But she had to.

With a great force of will, Betty pulled away. “I need five minutes, okay?”

Jughead licked her neck and she shivered. “Five minutes and then I’ll come looking for you.” He bit her earlobe, slapped her ass and helped her to her feet.

Betty walked to the kitchen table with shaky legs, popped open the bottle of champagne and poured herself a glass. She headed into the hot tub room and found her cell phone in her coat pocket. The water was still hot and bubbling, and she took off her robe. She and stepped into the tub, balancing her phone in one hand and her champagne in the other.

She took three deep, long sips and thought about what she was going to do. She’d put this off way too long, for reasons that had seemed important but actually were not. It was time to tell the truth. She’d wasted too much time already.

She called Ryan on his cell.

“I told you I had to work,” Ryan snapped as he picked up on the second ring. “Why are you calling now?”

His voice was loud and oh so rude. This was going to be easier than she had thought.

She heard the cocktail glasses clinking in the background, music, and laughter. “You’re at a bar. You’re not working.”

“I have professional obligations,” was Ryan’s reply. “Not that you’d understand that in your quote-unquote profession-”

She was beyond tired of the annoying crap that she’d glossed over for years. “You know what? I’m tired of your microaggressions, your little put-downs, and the bullshit you sling my way. I’ve tired of it for a really long time, actually.”

“You’re lucky to have me, sweetheart, so you better watch your mouth-”

“We’re done, Ryan. I should have broken up with you before this, but I didn’t want to ruin Christmas. I was embarrassed to admit to my family that the perfect boyfriend I’d been talking about for years, was actually a complete asshole. My family expected to meet someone special on Christmas Day. But you aren’t special, Ryan. Not at all.”

“Oh yeah? Don’t even try to come crawling back to me after this bullshit you just pulled,” Ryan shouted through the phone. “Because I’m not taking you back, you hear me? You’re acting like a crazy bitch-”

With a click, Betty ended the call and immediately felt better. She finished off her glass of champagne and admitted she had fucked up. She should have done this a long time ago. If she hadn’t been so wrapped up in being perfect, she would have seen things clearly. That needed to change. Starting now.

She took a deep breath and made a second call. It was time to come clean with her parents. She was going to disappoint them. But she wasn’t willing to lose Jughead just to keep up a facade for her parents of their perfect daughter. It was time to start being brutally honest, to herself and to the people she loved the most.

She called her mother and Alice picked up right away. “Hi Mom. There’s a major change of plans for tomorrow. First of all, I’m snowed in about fifteen miles from Rockland.”

“Rockland? What the heck are you doing there?” Alice sounded surprised. “You’re less than an hour from home, Betty!"

“I know, I know. I drove up here with Jughead to get my Christmas tree. I couldn’t find a blue spruce in Brooklyn and we looked all over.”

“You drove all the way up here just to get a tree? In a blizzard? Have you lost your mind?” Alice’s voice pitched higher.

“It wasn’t snowing when we left,” Betty explained. “I don’t think it occurred to either of us to check the weather. But we’re safe for the night. We’re staying in a cabin.”

“You’re staying overnight in a cabin with that neighbor boy?” Alice sounded dubious. “I hope there are several bedrooms.”

“Well, no. But that’s fine because we only need one bed.” Betty licked her lips. “We’re together, Mom. We’re in love.”

There was a long silence. “Oh, Betty. Betty, no. Please don’t tell me that you broke up with Ryan for that scruffy boy that’s always hanging around your apartment eating your food.”

Betty smiled at the description. “Jughead’s not that scruffy, Mom. I did break up with Ryan. I don’t love him and our relationship has been on life support for months. I was afraid to tell you because I knew you’d be very disappointed. But I had to follow my heart. I’m dating Jughead because we care about each other deeply and make each other happy.”

Alice took a deep breath. “I think I’m going to have a stroke. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”

“Well, you might want to sit down, Mom, because there’s more.” 

Alice moaned. “Oh, please tell me there’s not more.”

“I’ve asked Jughead to move into my apartment. We’re going to be living together.” Betty was so excited about this. She couldn’t wait to have him with her all the time.

“Elizabeth Anne Cooper,” Alice hissed. “I forbid it. I absolutely put my foot down.”

Betty’s temper rose. “Really, mother? You’re going to do the same thing to me that you did to Polly? You’re going to push away both of your daughters? Is that really what you want?" 

Alice coughed. “I think I deserve more respect than this.”

“I have the utmost respect for you. I do. But I expect you to show me the same respect.”

“And If I don’t?” Alice asked. “If I refuse to stand by while you go down a path that disappoints me very much?”

“Then you and Dad will be having a very lonely Christmas,” Betty said. “Because whether you approve or not, I will be with Jughead. Mom, I finally found the love I’ve been hoping for all my life. A man who likes me for who I am; who appreciates me. Don’t you want that for me? Can’t you be happy that I finally have a love like that?” Betty’s voice cracked and she realized she was crying. 

Alice began crying too. “Of course I want that for you! That’s all I want for both my girls, to be loved and taken care of.”

“Jughead and I will take care of each other, Mom. You don’t have to worry about that.” 

Alice sighed. “The second I laid eyes on him, I knew he was trouble.”

Betty laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Well, he’s my kind of trouble. So, tomorrow, I will be at my apartment, assuming that we can get out of this cabin, with Jughead. Are you going to come or not?” 

“No,” Alice said firmly.

“Fine.” Betty was disappointed but not surprised. “When you come around, call me. I love you. Have a Merry Christmas.”

“Wait, no, Betty.” Alice took a deep breath. “Come home for Christmas. Stay with us for Christmas and let us get to know this man that won your heart.” 

Betty was touched. Her mother was trying so hard. But maybe it was too soon to inflict her entire family on Jughead. “Mom, I don’t know if Jughead wants to come home with me for Christmas." 

“I’d be happy to go home with you, Betty.” Jughead was in the doorway, watching her. His smile made it clear that he’d meant it. She smiled back, thrilled.

“So yes, he’ll come home with me,” Betty explained. “I’ll call you when we are able to get out of here tomorrow.”

“That sounds good, Betty. I’m so happy that you are coming home for Christmas.” Alice paused. “But he’s sleeping in the guest room.”

Betty smiled. “That’s absolutely fine, mom.” She looked over at Jughead. He had the biggest smile on his face she had ever seen. “Look, I need to go. But I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom. Merry Christmas.” She hung up the phone and set it aside.

“So you made your peace with not having a perfect boyfriend to introduce to your mother?”

Betty smiled at Jughead. “Oh, but I will have a perfect boyfriend to introduce to my mother, Juggie. You.” 

Jughead pulled his sweater over his head, unzipped his pants, and pulled them off. Betty took a good look at his incredibly beautiful naked body. Damn. “I’m far from perfect boyfriend material, Betty. No Ivy League degree; no pedigreed family; an empty bank account.”

He walked across the room and slid into the hot tub right next to her. Jughead pulled her into his naked lap, his hands caressing her curves.

“You are perfect for me,” Betty said, kissing his neck. “That’s why I love you so much, Jug.” She kissed his neck again. “I love you.” She meant it with all her heart.

“Show me that you love me,” he said huskily.

She did just that.


	11. Sex Machine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Bughead bangathon! If you are not interested in, well, lots of sex, please proceed to the delightfully fluffy and very G rated conclusion in Chapter 12.
> 
> If you're here for Jughead Jones, sex machine, read on.

_Christmas Eve_

_11:40 PM_

The hot tub was too slippery. While Betty and Jughead were making out, they kept slipping around on the ceramic tile seat. During one particularly vigorous kiss, Betty lost her balance, slid off Jughead’s lap and fell backward into the water with a splash.

He pulled her up, laughing. “I think we need to get out of this tub. You’re going to break your neck before I even get to make love to you.”

Jughead picked her up in his arms and carried her out the door and into the main cabin.

He set her down on the blanket in front of the fireplace. “I’ll be right back.”

Betty admired his body as he walked away. He was so tall and completely ripped. His back muscles alone were sexy as hell. His erection bobbed as he walked and she found it both hot and adorable. She watched as he knelt down and he rifled through his backpack until he found a condom.

He joined her on the blanket and set the foil packet down within arm’s reach. “Now, where were we?” He kissed her nipple.

They were going to have sex now. Betty was excited, but she wasn’t ready. She pulled away.

“Being with you is wonderful, but a little overwhelming. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, the last few hours with you. Can we talk for a little while before we... get intimate?” 

Jughead looked surprised. “Of course, Betty. I’m not trying to rush you into anything.” He frowned. “Did you not like what we did earlier? Was I too aggressive?”

“No, I loved it,” reassured Betty, quickly. “I loved every second of what we did together.”

He smiled at her, relieved. “Good. So did I, very much.”

“Jug, I don’t have cold feet about making love with you,” Betty clarified. “I love everything we’ve done together and I want to do more. I just need to discuss a couple of things before we have sex.”

“Okay.” He took her hand in his, his thumb running over her palm. “Let’s talk.”

“I’ve always used condoms and that’s not negotiable. I also have an IUD. I’m not willing to risk an unplanned pregnancy.” Her voice was firm. “To be clear, if that happened, I would not continue with the pregnancy. I’m nowhere near ready to become a parent.”

Jughead blinked. “That is certainly your prerogative. I totally respect that and I’m fine with it.”

Betty was relieved. She didn’t want to seem too pushy. The next part was trickier.

She licked her lips. “I don’t know how to say this without being offensive, but I know you’ve had sex with a lot of people.”

“I wouldn’t say a lot,” Jughead protested.

“Until now, I’ve only had sex with two people. I know you’ve had lots of partners. You dated Zoe for a few months last year and since then I’ve seen a whole lot of different women coming and going from your apartment.” Betty held up a hand. “Not that I’m pretending that I had some right to be jealous. I’m not judging, you either. I just want to make sure that you have been taking care of your sexual health and that we will not be taking any unnecessary risks.”

A quick smile flickered on Jughead’s face. “You’re frighteningly practical, Betty.”

She sighed. ”Please tell me I haven’t completely offended you.”

He reached out and stroked her hair. “Of course not. It’s very smart. You know, I’ve never had a woman ask me about my sexual history or STD’s or any of that. So, good for you for being proactive about that.”

“So you’re not mad or totally turned off?” She was worried that she’d crossed a line with him.

Jughead smiled and kissed her. “No, baby, it’s fine. So, to answer your questions, I haven’t been with anyone in about six months. I’ve had a clean STD test since then."

“You haven’t had sex for six months?” Betty was shocked. “You used to go on a lot of Tinder dates."

“I did. But for the last six months, my Tinder dates have solely consisted of me talking about you to a succession of very attractive ladies.” He shrugged. “So, I’m not the sex machine you may think I am. I hope you’re not disappointed.”

“Of course not. I’m just surprised.”

“If I couldn’t have you, I didn’t want anyone.” Jughead curled a lock of her hair around his finger. “I’ve never been so sexually frustrated in my entire life. Betty, every night after we hang out I head home and jack off. Just thinking about you makes me hard, all day long. I have popped a boner while I’ve been sitting next to you on the couch more times than I can count. I was afraid you were going to think I was a giant pervert.”

Betty laughed. “I wasn’t staring at your crotch, Jug. I never noticed.”

“I’m glad I didn’t scare you away.”

“Not at all,” she said softly. “I can’t wait until you stay with me all night, every night.”

“I want that too,” Jughead said softly.

They kissed deeply and the chemistry between them grew more and more heated.

“Are you ready to make love now?” Jughead ran his hand across her shoulder, his eyes fixed on hers.

“I’m really nervous,” Betty admitted, her voice shaking a bit. She wasn’t even sure how to explain this. “I haven’t had sex in about eight months, Jug. Ryan and I have been having some... technical difficulties in the bedroom.”

“Oh?” Jughead raised his eyebrows.

“Not me,” Betty clarified. “Him.”

Jughead laughed. “That is absolutely fantastic." 

“Jug, it’s not funny,” Betty protested.

”No, it’s fucking hilarious. Honestly, Betty, I could not be more delighted that dipshit has erectile dysfunction. It could not have happened to a more deserving person.”

Betty looked away. “Jug, you don’t understand. It was because of me.”

“Betty?” He gently turned her chin towards him, his brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Betty bit her lip. “He said that I didn’t turn him on at this weight. I have stretch marks on my thighs; cellulite on my butt. I’m too curvy now.”

Jughead snorted. “Yeah, right. Your ass is luscious and your tits are absolutely fucking magnificent.”

“I’ve put on weight since we first got together. A whole dress size.”

“So what? You’re gorgeous, Betty. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your body.” Jughead kissed her shoulder. 

“You really think so?”

“Just thinking about you makes me hard, all day long.” He kissed her hungrily, his hands grabbing her ass. “These last six months have been torture. I’ve never been so sexually frustrated in my entire life. I’ve wanted to be with you like this for so long.”

“I want you so much.” She ran her hands up his chest. “I love touching you. You feel so good.”

“You’re so lovely, baby.” He slipped one finger inside her and she gasped. “You like that?”

“Yes.” She closed her eyes. Her body was awash with pleasure.

He added another finger and moved in and out of her. “You’re so wet for me.”

She brushed her hand across his abs and down across his pubic hair. His erection was stiff against her hand.

“I’m so hard for you,” he whispered. “I want to take you now. Tell me yes.”

She kissed him deeply, her hand buried in his hair. “Yes.”

He ripped open the condom and rolled it down his shaft. Slowly, he pushed himself inside her.

He was very thick, stretching her in a way that felt so new and different. She wriggled underneath him.

“Am I hurting you?” He pulled back but she put her hand on his waist and pulled him towards her.

“It’s a little uncomfortable. Keep going.” She breathed deeply. It had been a long time for her and nothing like this. 

He sighed as he pushed further inside her. “You feel so good. Is this good for you?”

“So good.” It was, now, that she’d gotten used to him a bit.

He began to thrust in and out of her. “Betty. My God, Betty.” His voice was so full of desire. There was no question that he was enjoying this. She relaxed even more, knowing she was going to satisfy him.

Betty closed her eyes and focused on the sensations. It felt so good, how full she felt with him inside her. She tried to give in to the moment, to stop being distracted by the wind whistling outside, the sound of the fire, the gasps of her own breathing.

“Betty, look at me.” She opened her eyes. Jughead was staring down at her, his face tense. “Do you like this?”

“You feel so good, Juggie.” She ran her hands up his back and smiled. “I like the way you feel inside me.”

He sighed. ”Good. You’re so quiet, baby, I want to make sure.” He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. “I love you.” 

“I love you,” she said softly.

He closed his eyes, his head tilted back. She watched his face; he was so beautiful in the flickering firelight. He thrust a bit harder, biting his lip.

“I’m getting close.” His voice was tight and hoarse. She could see the strain in his body. His jaw was clenched; a tendon in his neck throbbed.

“That’s fine.” It was. Betty wanted to watch him reach orgasm, to know that she’d pleased him. “Let go, Jug.”

He frowned. “I want you to come with me.” His hands closed on her hips and he moved faster. It felt good, great; but she knew it wouldn’t be enough. It never was.

“I won’t finish,” she said softly.

He stopped thrusting and looked down at her. “What?”

“I won’t come,” Betty explained. “I never do. It’s okay.”

“You came for me over and over when I went down on you.” Jughead looked very confused.

She blushed, embarrassed. “Yes, I just don’t climax during sex. I never have. It’s nothing you’ve done wrong, Jug. I just don’t. Keep going.”

He kissed her and began moving again inside her. “I need to make you come.”

He didn’t understand. “Sweetie, it’s not going to happen. Just finish without me.”

He gripped her hips and kissed her deeply. “You like it when I touch you.”

“Very much."

“You came for me before.”

“It’s not the same thing, Jug.”

He continued to thrust inside her while he moved one hand down and rubbed her clit. It felt good; it added to what she was feeling, made it richer, deeper.

“When you lie in bed and touch yourself,” he whispered in her ear, ”what do you think about?”

It was hard to think with him doing all these things to her. “I have some really weird fantasies.” Too weird to share.

“Baby, I guarantee you that whatever your kink is, I’m going to like it.” He smirked at her. “Because I am one kinky motherfucker. You will not scare me away. Just tell me.”

“I need more.” She couldn’t express what she needed. “Harder. Not gentle.”

“Oh, I know what you want now, Betty Cooper.” He licked her neck. “Just relax and let me give you what you need.” He pushed her neck to the side and sucked, very hard.

She gasped. “Jug.” He bit her neck and she moaned. She grabbed his biceps with her hands. He was so strong, so hard. “Jug. More.”

“That’s it,” Jughead whispered. “Tell me what you want.”

He kept biting her in the same spot and she writhed underneath him. “Don’t stop,” she said breathily. “Don’t stop, please.” He pulled away and she whimpered.

Jughead moved his mouth over hers and kissed her hungrily. He moved his hands down her arms, gently caressing her with his fingers from shoulder to wrist. Then he grabbed both of her wrists hard and shoved them over her head.

“Wrap your legs around me.” His voice was deep and dark. 

Betty wrapped her legs around his waist. His erection shoved into her, deeper and harder. He thrust hard, over and over, and there was nothing gentle about it.

“Jesus, Jug.” She felt her muscles clench tight around his cock. He was hurting her and it was so good. “Yes.”

“Tell me you like it.“ It wasn’t a question; it was a command.

“Yes.” He was giving her something she needed, wanted so badly.

“I’m going to fuck you so, so hard,” he growled in her ear. The delicate, gentle lover was gone. This was another side of him entirely. He slammed in and out of her, his hands gripping her wrists so much it ached.

“Talk to me.” He bit her neck, nipping with his teeth. “Talk to me, Betty.”

“Please, please.” This felt so good. She was breaking apart, losing herself in the rhythm he had imposed on her.

“Tell me you like the way I’m pounding away inside you.” He bit her earlobe and it just added to the pleasure.

“Harder.”

Jughead moaned. “Oh, yes, baby. You are so fucking perfect for me.”

He resumed moving, deeper and faster. It was finally happening. She was climbing, heading towards something she desperately wanted. “Juggie.”

He stopped completely and she was hanging there, on the edge of her climax, her heart pounding.

“Beg me.” His hair was dripping with sweat now and drops fell on her breasts. “Beg me.”

Her brain was on fire and she needed him now more than she’d ever needed anything. “Fuck me, fuck me harder, fuck me now.”

He growled and thrust into her, all restraint completely gone. She was so close, so close, teetering on the edge 

“Bite me,” she cried out. “Juggie. Hurt me.”

He bit her hard at the base of her shoulder. Pain became pleasure and she exploded into an incandescent climax. She screamed out as she came.

Jughead let go of her wrists. She grabbed his shoulders, her nails scratching his skin. He came explosively, grunting as he thrust wildly inside her.

Soon afterward, they pulled apart and he got up to discard the condom. When he came back, he pulled her close to him. They lay curled together. He kissed her over and over, scattering kisses on her breasts, her shoulders, her face.

“My beautiful Betty.”

“My handsome Jug.” She pushed his hair away from his face. He was flushed and sweaty. Her heart was so full, seeing him so relaxed and happy. He’d done the same for her.

He smoothed her hair away from her face and ran his thumb along her jaw. “You’re mine.”

“I am.” She’d never felt such contentment, such peace in her entire life. She looked into his eyes and they were full of so much love, such joy.

He pulled her closer to him and wrapped himself around her. He threw his leg over hers and encircled her in his arms. She was completely in his embrace, surrounded by his body.

“I thought I was broken, but you fixed me.”

“You were never broken,” he said, each word firm and precise. “You’re perfect.” He kissed the side of her neck. “You’re mine.”

They fell asleep together in front of the fire.

 

_Christmas Day_

_1:02 AM_

A ringing cellphone broke the silence of the night.

Betty woke up as Jughead answered the call. “Jellybean?” He sat straight up. “Oh, fuck, JB, I forgot about you.” 

Betty rubbed her eyes and looked over at Jughead.

He was rubbing his chin, his face serious as he listened to his sister. “Oh, that’s good. This blizzard has changed everyone’s plans. We’ll reschedule the trip; don’t worry. Did you call Dad?” Jughead listened for a moment and nodded. “Okay. I love you, Jelly. I’ll call you tomorrow. 

“Is everything okay?” Betty asked

Jughead hung up. “JB is still in Providence because of the blizzard. Her cell phone died and she couldn’t reach me. She was afraid that I was snowed in at JFK with all the flights canceled. But she’s fine. We’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

Betty stood up and stretched. “Let’s get in the bed, Juggie. I’m a little stiff from lying on the floor.”

He grabbed the blanket and they got into the bed. Betty fluffed and rearranged the pillows and adjusted the covers. Finally, she settled in, her head resting on Jughead’s chest. 

“This is the happiest I’ve been in a very long time.” Jughead ran his hand down her back and cupped her ass. “Naked Betty Cooper, a warm fire, a big comfy bed. This is the best night I’ve ever had and it’s barely begun.”

She laughed. “No, it hasn’t. It’s late. I think we should go back to sleep.”

“I have a much better idea.” He sank down under the covers and pulled her thighs apart. She gasped as he used his tongue on her. He was very, very good at this. She gripped his shoulders with both hands as he made her climax, over and over.

Finally, he came up from under the covers, gasping. “I need a condom.” He rolled out of bed and retrieved his backpack.

Jughead sat down on the bed next to her, unzipped his backpack and rifled around. His happy face rapidly turned very unhappy. “Oh, no.” Jughead rifled through his backpack. “No. No. No.”

He pulled out his laptop and the power cord and set them on the bed, then turned the backpack upside down and vigorously shook it. A random assortment of junk fell out of it. There were pens, pencils, a black Sharpie, steno pads, a couple of flash drives, granola bars, hard candy, a pair of sunglasses, a bag of potato chips, several packs of gum, a hacky sack, and a lot of crumbs.

“Jug, your backpack is disgusting. You’re getting gross junk all over the bed.” Betty sat up and swept the crumbs off the quilt. 

“Well, I basically live out of this thing.” He carried it everywhere.

“You could still clean it once in a while. Is it machine washable?” Betty asked. 

“I have no idea, Betts.” He dug around in the bag. “Why can’t I find another condom? This is a nightmare.”

Betty shook her head. “I think we’re just going to have to give up on the idea of sex for the night. We can still fool around.”

“There must be more in here, somewhere.“ Jughead picked up the backpack and shoved the entire length of his arm into it.

“Jug, there’s nothing left in there.” 

He stopped. “Oh wait, I know!” He unzipped a little pocket on one of the straps of the bag and pulled out a handful of condoms. “Yes!” He actually did a fist pump.

Betty laughed. He was so proud of himself and it was adorable. “Yay for more sex, Juggie.”

Jughead dumped all the crap back in his backpack and tossed it aside.

Back in the bed, he lifted his chin with her finger and gave her a gentle kiss. “Did you know that you are the star of all my sexual fantasies, Betty Cooper?”

“Is that right?” asked Betty cheekily.

“I’m going to show you one right now.” He cupped her head in his hands and kissed her. It was deep, intense, with lots of tongue action. He broke the kiss and grabbed her ass in both of his hands. “Baby, you’re going to make all my dreams come true.”


	12. Epilogue: One More Thing

_One Year Later_

It had been a perfect Christmas. The apartment was decorated just the way Betty had planned all year. The tall Colorado blue spruce was decorated with glass icicles and a lovely white angel on top. The hearth was decorated with evergreen boughs and red bows and a cozy fire burned in the fireplace. A pile of beautifully wrapped gifts waited under the tree.

“I feel like I’m forgetting something,” Betty fretted. “What am I forgetting, Jug?” Betty stood in front of the table, staring at the table that was beautifully laid out for the holiday meal. 

“Nothing. We’re all set, Betts.” Jughead rubbed her shoulder. “The apartment looks great. The food is going to be delicious. We’re all set.”

There was a knock on the door and Jughead went to answer it. She heard him greet her parents. “Alice, Hal, I’m so glad you could make it. Betty was worried about the weather.”

“It’s just a couple of inches of snow. Nothing like last year! No problem in our SUV.” Alice kissed his cheek. “It’s so good to see you again, Jug.” She handed him a metal tin. “I have treats to share, but these gingerbread men are just for you. I think you ate three dozen of them last Christmas when you stayed with us.” 

“Thanks so much, Alice.” Jughead took the shopping bag of gifts from her hands. “Where I can put this?”

“Right there under the tree,” she replied.

Hal’s hands were full, carrying a stack of covered casserole dishes. “Where do you want these, Betty?”

Betty took a dish from her father’s hands and led him over to the table. “You can put those dishes right next to the ham, Dad.”

Jughead walked over to the couch. “Alice, Hal, please let me introduce you to my family.” The Coopers walked over to him and Jughead made the introductions.

First up was JB, petite and dark-haired, wearing a huge red sweater decorated with a Christmas tree, She wore a Santa hat perched on her head. Next was Deirdre, Jughead’s stepmother, a curvy redhead in a green velvet dress who held a sleeping baby. Last was Jughead’s father, who wore a Santa hat just like JB’s.

There was a beat of silence as Hal, FP and Alice looked at each other. Then FP stood up and shook Hal’s hand. “Been a long time, Hal. You’re looking good.”

Hal raised his eyebrows. “FP Jones. Wow. I never thought I’d lay eyes on you again.” He pumped FP’s hand, his eyes wide.

Betty looked over at her mom. “Dad knows Jughead’s dad?” 

“Both of us do,” said Alice, looking flustered. “My goodness, it’s a small world.”

“You are from Riverdale also?” asked Deirdre.

“We grew up together,” explained Alice. “We all graduated from Riverdale High together in 1991.”

“I always wondered what happened to you after you won the lottery and skipped town,” said Hal.

“I moved to California and opened a bike shop.” FP smiled widely. “I own one of the biggest custom bike shops in Southern California.”

“We have an offer from a cable network to do a documentary on the shop,” said Deidre. “We’re considering it. With the baby, I’m not sure we have the time.” 

“I’m sure your first priority is the baby,” Alice reached out and patted the baby’s back. “What a precious little angel.”

“Her name is Frances,” said FP, his face proud. “All my kids have names that start with an ‘F’.” 

“Don’t they all start with ‘J’?” asked Hal, his forehead wrinkled with confusion. 

They gathered around the long wooden table and began the Christmas brunch. Betty served a perfectly carved ham. Alice received many compliments for the delicious dishes she had brought. Jughead passed around an advance reading copy of his first book, _Winter Muse_. 

After the meal, they were eating plates of Betty’s elaborately decorated Christmas cookies when there was a knock at the door. Betty’s heart raced and she rushed over. “I’ll get it! That’s for me!” 

“Who could that be?” asked Jughead. “Everyone’s already here.”

Betty answered the door, tipped the messenger, and received a large, ornately wrapped box. She came back to the table and handed it to Jughead. 

He looked up at her with surprise. They’d opened presents earlier in the day, so he wasn’t expecting anything more.

Betty took a deep breath. “I have one last gift for you that will make this your best Christmas ever.” 

With a lifted brow, Jughead pulled the lid off the box and a white, fluffy puppy jumped into his arms.

“Oh, he’s adorable!” cried Jellybean. “He looks like a stuffed animal.”

“Merry Christmas, Jughead Jones.” Betty smiled at him.

“Betty, he’s so sweet,” Jughead laughed as the dog licked his face. His grin was huge.

Betty clapped her hands with excitement as everyone around them smiled and laughed at the little dog’s antics. “I knew this would be the thing that would make it an absolutely perfect Christmas for you!”

Jughead handed his sister the excited, happy puppy. He stood up and pulled Betty into a sweet kiss. “Actually, there is one more thing that would make it a truly perfect Christmas, Betty Cooper.” He pulled a black velvet box out of his pocket and knelt down.

Jellybean shrieked with excitement, Alice gasped, FP smiled and Hal poured himself another glass of chardonnay. 

With a snap, Jughead popped the ring box open, revealing the most beautiful ring Betty had ever seen.

In a life of messy and imperfect moments, this was a perfect one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story! If so, please take the time to leave kudos or a quick comment. That will be your holiday gift for me and it will be greatly appreciated!
> 
> Keep reading for a look back at how it all began: When Betty Met Juggie.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Happy Holidays! May your season be merry and bright.


	13. Prequel: When Betty Met Juggie

Betty Cooper moved into Jughead's building on a sunny morning on the first of May. Jughead heard her voice before he ever saw her. He was sitting on his futon typing when he heard her voice in the hallway.

“Mom,” said an exasperated voice. “Stop.”

“You need to tape over the peephole in the door,” said another female voice. “Otherwise perverts in the hallway can look into your apartment and see you naked.”

“Mom, I don’t think there’s anyone going door to door trying to spy on the neighbors.” Her voice was sweet and throaty at the same time. It was a very sexy voice. 

“This is Brooklyn! You’re not in Riverdale anymore. This is a big scary city and you need to take every precaution. Especially since you are a woman alone!”

This over the top reaction amused Jughead. Out-of-towners were a hoot.

Her daughter seemed less amused. “Mom, stop.” The voice increased in volume. “Mother. Mother! Put down the tape. Look, you are being nuts. I’m going to prove to you that you can’t see into my apartment from outside. Stay in here.”

He heard her door shut. Curiosity overwhelmed Jughead. He had to see the body that went with that voice. 

He opened his door. There was a very cute blonde with a ponytail and a nice ass standing in front of the door across the hall. She was craning her head, trying to see through the peephole.

“You actually can see into the apartment from the outside,” Jughead confirmed. “That’s true.” 

The girl whirled around to look at him. She was beautiful. A cherry red mouth and thoughtful blue eyes made the strongest impressions at first glance. 

“You’ve tried looking into these peepholes?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.

Jughead scratched his head. “No, I’m not actually a, you know, pervert. But my dad saw something on TV, told my sister to cover the peephole on her door. Jellybean covered hers with a Post It note.”

She smiled. “Your sister’s name is Jellybean?”

“Family nickname,” Jughead explained.

“Your family likes colorful nicknames?”

“Well, my name’s Jughead,” he offered. 

She laughed. “That is colorful! So what’s your real name?”

“Only the government knows for sure.”

She stuck out her hand. “I’m Betty Cooper. Nice to meet you, Jughead.”

The door to the girl’s apartment opened. An older, angrier version of Betty appeared. “Well? Can you see through the hole or not?” she asked impatiently.

“My new neighbor here suggested putting a Post It note over it,” Betty explained. She turned to Jughead. “Jughead, this is my mother, Alice Cooper. Mom, this is Jughead.”

“Hello...Jughead. Thanks for that idea; that should work.” Her mother nodded at him and turned to her daughter. “I’m sure you have a Post It note around here somewhere.”

“No, Mom, that would be in the moving boxes which have not yet shown up.” Betty’s voice was both relentlessly cheerful and tense. Jughead found that interesting. 

“I can give you a Post-It note,” Jughead offered.

“That would be great.” Betty smiled at him. She had a fantastic smile; it made her whole face light up.

“Betty, you need to call the movers again.” Her mother checked her watch. “They’re an hour late! This is unacceptable.” 

“I’m tired of calling them, Mom. The paperwork is on the kitchen counter if you want to try to call yourself.” 

“I will do that,” said Alice. “I’m going to give those jerks a piece of my mind!”

“I’m sure you will, “ said Betty. Her mother slammed the door to the apartment.

Betty rubbed her forehead and sighed. She looked like she was barely holding it together. Jughead felt sorry for her.

“I’ll get you that Post-It note,” Jughead offered.

Betty followed him into his apartment. She stopped short.

“Are you just moving in too?” 

There was nothing in his apartment other than a black futon, a wall of cinder block shelves filled with his books and a few boxes in one corner.

“My roommate, Seth, just moved out,” Jughead explained. “He got his own place a few blocks away. He owned all the furniture, so it's a little bare now.”

“So are you going to keep it like this?” She smiled at him, her eyes bright. “Minimalism as a decorative statement?”

She was teasing him and he liked it. He smiled back at her. “You know, I just might. Seth liked mid-century modern furniture and had huge prints of his work hanging everywhere. He’s a photographer.” Jughead looked around. “It was really crowded in here; lots of plants and photography equipment and art prints and clutter. I kind of like it this way. The lack of distractions makes it easier for me to think. When I can think clearly, I write.”

He rifled through a box in the corner and pulled out office supplies: tape; a stapler; a ream of printer paper, and finally a pad of Post It notes. He handed one to Betty.

“So you’re a writer?” She pointed at his shelves. "Clearly a reader, too. A voracious one."

“Screenwriter. I graduated from film school at UCLA a few years ago.”

“That’s very cool.” She stepped in front of his bookcases, perusing the shelves. "You have a really great collection here." She touched the spine of _On The Road_. "I see that you have a real appreciation for the Beat Generation. You've got them all: Ginsberg, Burroughs, Kerouac." She turned to him. "Did you hear that there's a new biography of Ginsberg coming out? Yale Press, I think."

"I'll have to look for that," he said.

She nodded and turned towards the door.

Now that she had the Post It note, Jughead had no excuse to keep talking to her. But he wanted to. He really wanted to get to know her better. She was smart, funny and so very cute.

“Would you like a drink?" Jughead offered. "I have cans of Coke.”

He opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a can of Coke. They were the only things inside it. 

Betty took the can of Coke from him and popped it open. “You know, I’ve seen a lot of bachelor apartments, but this is the saddest one yet." She looked at the open shelves in his kitchen that were bare and empty. "You have no food of any kind. No cookware. No dishes, Jughead." She turned to him with a frown. "This is sad."

Jughead scratched his head. “I don’t cook. The refrigerator is really just a soda cooling storage receptacle.”

“How do you survive if you don’t cook?” she asked.

“It’s Brooklyn,” he reminded her. “I can get seven different cuisines within a two block walk. If I’m feeling really unmotivated, then I order in.”

She looked around. “Where do you eat?”

“On the futon.”

“You eat where you sleep?” she said disapprovingly.

“I also write there sometimes,” said Jughead. "It's a very multipurpose futon. It works."

She shook her head. “Every writer needs a comfortable workspace.” She frowned at his futon. "That does not qualify."

“I have a regular table down at the coffee shop around the corner.  Not only is it comfortable, they bring me cups of black coffee all day long. You can’t beat that.”

Betty tilted her head. "Do they have strong wifi? I'd love to find a good place to people watch while I write. I'm a freelance journalist."

"They have great wifi."

"I'll have to check it out. What's the place called?"

"Leo's," said Jughead. It was the perfect way to spend a bit more time with her and get to know her better. "If you want to meet me tomorrow, I can take you to breakfast and introduce you to Leo. I can show you a few of my favorite haunts in the neighborhood."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

There was a knock on the door. Jughead swung it open and Mrs. Cooper frowned at her daughter. “The movers will be here within minutes. They also refunded you twenty-five percent of your bill.”

“Mom, you didn’t need to do that.” Betty looked completely aggravated.

“You need to be more assertive, Betty. If you’re too nice, people run right over you. You need some backbone.” She noticed the soda can in Betty’s hand. “Elizabeth Anne, you should not be drinking full calorie soda. It is full of empty calories. If you must drink soda, drink diet.”

“I don’t like diet soda, Mom, it tastes like ass,” Betty said patiently.

Jughead grinned. He liked this girl and her sassy attitude.

Betty’s mother noticed him admiring her daughter. Her side eye was epic. “Well, young man, thank you for the Post It note. You know the neighborhood. Can you recommend a nice place for us to eat? After we move Betty in, her father and I are supposed to meet her boyfriend here for lunch.” She made a point of stressing the word “boyfriend.”

Of course this beautiful girl had a boyfriend. Jughead was disappointed but not surprised.

“Ryan didn’t promise he would make it,” said Betty. “He has a lot going on at work.”

“Now that you’re living in the same city, I expect to finally meet this mystery man of yours,” said Mrs. Cooper. 

“There’s a very good Italian place called Noodle Pudding over on Court Street,” Jughead suggested.

“Noodle Pudding?” Alice said, raising her eyebrows.

“You’ll love it. The food is amazing and not too expensive. When my family is in town, that’s where I take them.”

“Thanks for the tip, Jughead," said Mrs Cooper.

Betty and her mother walked into the hallway. The elevator at the end of the hall opened. A tall blonde man carrying a lamp and a bag of groceries stepped out.

"What took you so long, Hal?" Mrs Cooper said irritably.

"It was hell trying to find a parking place," he explained. "And then I had to parallel park! I haven't done that since we moved Betty out of her dorm at Princeton."

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I know you're not used to the city," said Betty.

Mrs. Cooper stomped down the hall towards her husband. "Did you see the moving van? Is it outside?"

Betty turned towards Jughead and touched his shoulder. "Sorry, I have to run. But I'll met you tomorrow at, say, ten? For breakfast at Leo's and a tour of Brooklyn Heights?" She raised her eyebrows.

"See you at ten," Jughead agreed. "Just come knock on my door. I'll be here."

"Great." She smiled at him again, her blue eyes bright.

Jughead watched her walk away, her blonde ponytail swinging. He really liked this girl. Tomorrow morning couldn't come soon enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by and dedicated to raptorlily, who requested:
> 
> "A Holiday Excuse for a Bed Sharing AU - Betty needs a Christmas tree. Lucky for her, her cute next door neighbor Jughead has a truck. He agrees to accompany her up north to get the perfect tree so she can host the perfect Christmas for her overly critical mother to introduce the perfect boyfriend that Betty isn't really all that into. Problem is, the two get caught in a blizzard and are forced to take shelter in a roadside cabin. Sparks fly!"
> 
> Special thanks to Jandy, my fabulous beta, who made this story so much better. She polished my zircon until it shone as bright as a diamond.
> 
> Check out the Spotify playlist at https://open.spotify.com/user/kfozj5yiiap68fl6fkuqma2uq/playlist/5tvqVRZ3d2olQyoHNG0cJQ
> 
> Without the bughead-fanfic-wishlist Tumblr, this fic wouldn't exist. Check it out.


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